By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, Dec. 18: Chinese police confirmed the detention of a profiled human rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong after almost a month since his mysterious disappearance in the wake of the state crackdown on lawyers and activists.
Family and friends of the missing lawyer feared he was held in ‘secret custody’ because of his undeterred involvement in defending Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetans protesters and providing legal counsels to victims of rights abuse.
According to Jiang’s lawyer Qin Chenshou, police in Changsha told him that Jiang was detained nine days starting 21 November under ‘fraudulent use of another person’s ID’ to buy train tickets.
China’s state media reported yesterday that Jiang was charged under laws related to “compulsory criminal measures” for “illegally possessing documents classified as state secrets and “illegally disseminating state secret to overseas (sources) and other “crimes” which the authorities considered to be “especially serious.”
“Jiang Tianyong confessed the relevant crimes”, said the newspaper.
In a statement by Jiang’s wife, she said her husband would not make “self-incrimination” confession and that he was “probably subjected to severe torture to force such confession.” The police have refused to give the family written notice of the detention, moves usually seen in political cases. Jiang’s lawyer said he has no idea where he is being held.
Earlier this month, a UN expert’s panel had called on Chinese govt. to investigate Jiang’s disappearance. “We fear that Jiang’s disappearance may be directly linked to his advocacy and he may be at risk of torture,” said the panel. The 45-year-old lawyer had met and assisted the experts of UN rapporteur on poverty and human rights during their visit to China in August.
Jiang was last heard on the night of 21 November when he was travelling from Changsha, to Beijing.
Human rights watch (HRW) has also called on China to reveal information about three prominent human rights defenders, Liu Feiyue, Jiang Tainyong and Huang Qi.
“The Chinese authorities should formally notify families of Huang, Jiang and Liu of their whereabouts and urgently allow them and their lawyers to visit. Officials involved in these forced disappearances are responsible for any mistreatment they suffer in detention,” said Sophie Richardson, HRW China director.
