Help human rights activist Huang Qi

Huang Qi's family and friends haven't seen him since he was abducted 10 days ago, and Amnesty International fears he is at risk of torture and ill-treatment.

On 10 June the human rights activist and director of the Tianwang Human Rights Centre was at a restaurant in the city of Chengdu with two volunteers from his organisation, Pu Fei and Zuo Xiaohun. A group of men forced the trio into a vehicle and took them away.

It wasn't until almost a week later, when his mother received a notice from the Public Security Bureau saying he was being held on suspicion of "illegally acquiring state secrets", that his family and colleagues were able to find out what had happened to him. Huang Qi's colleagues, Pu Fei and Zuo Xiaohun, are believed to have been released.

Working with quake families

The Public Security Bureau notice said where the 45-year-old was being held, but so far neither his family nor his legal advisor have been allowed to see him.

Police have searched Huang Qi's house and confiscated his computer and bank book, in which all his transactions were recorded.

According to local sources, Huang Qi's detention is related to his work helping the families of five primary school students who died when their school buildings collapsed in last month’s earthquake. He was helping the families to bring a legal case against local authorities.

He has previously been jailed for "incitement of subversion", after being tried in secret in August 2001. Huang Qi, who was beaten in prison, was released in June 2005.

Tight rein on the media

The Chinese authorities keep a tight rein on the freedom of expression and have brutally cracked down on real or perceived dissent in the media.

In China broad and vaguely defined charges of "stealing and revealing state secrets" and "subversion" are used to arbitrarily detain and prosecute activists, journalists and Internet users.

After last month's earthquake in the Sichuan province, China initially allowed unprecedented reporting freedoms in the quake zone. However, in recent weeks authorities have tried to rein in the media, barring journalists from certain areas and issuing orders about what type of earthquake stories can and can't be reported.

Appeal to authorities

If you are interested in trying to help free Huang Qi, please send appeals as soon as possible, in English or Chinese, to the officials below. Suggestions for what to say include:

• Calling on the authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Huang Qi.
• Urging the authorities to guarantee that he is not tortured or ill-treated while he remains in custody.
• Urging the authorities to ensure Huang Qi has access to his family and lawyers and any necessary medical treatment.
• Calling on the authorities to end use of very vaguely defined crimes such as "illegally acquiring state secrets" to clamp down on human rights defenders.
• Expressing deep concern that detention of peaceful human rights activists runs counter to promises made by Chinese officials that human rights would improve in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics.

The appeals can be sent to:

• Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China
  WEN Jiabao Guojia Zongli
  The State Council General Office
  2 Fuyoujie
  Xichengqu
  Beijingshi 100017
  People's Republic of China
  Fax: +86 10 65961109 (c/o Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
  Salutation: Your Excellency

• Director of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Public Security
  ZENG Shengquan Tingzhang
  Sichuansheng Gong'anting
  9 Jindunlu
  Chengdushi 610041
  Sichuansheng
  People's Republic of China
  Fax: +86 28 86301177
  Salutation: Dear Director
  

With copies to:

• Minister of Public Security of the People's Republic of China
  MENG Jianzhu Buzhang
  Gong'anbu
  14 Dongchang'anjie
  Dongchengqu
  Beijingshi 100741
  People's Republic of China
  Fax: +86 10 63099216 (it may be difficult to get through, please keep trying)
  Salutation: Your Excellency

• And to diplomatic representatives of China accredited to your country.