Rights Group Urges U.N. Chief to Investigate China

MEDIA Release

Rights Group Urges U.N. Chief to Investigate China
after Top Dissident Yang Jianli Deported to Taiwan


GENEVA, Oct. 9 – The Geneva-based human rights group UN Watch today called on UN chief Ban Ki-moon and rights commissioner Navi Pillay to investigate where China violated international human rights laws by deporting famous dissident Dr. Yang Jianli from Hong Kong to Taiwan after authorities there denied him entry on grounds that he appeared on a blacklist. (See details below.)

"There's no question that Beijing, which is sovereign over Hong Kong despite its limited autonomy, is responsible for Dr. Yang's name being put on this blacklist, and that his only crime here was that he advocates for freedom and democracy in China," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. This past March, the non-govermental organization sponsored Dr. Yang's dramatic UN testimony, which was interrupted by China.

"As one of the 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council, China must be held accountable. And legally it is China which answers to the UN for what happens in Hong Kong. (See China's 2008 report to the UNHRC where it assumes responsibility for the human rights record of Hong Kong.)

UN Watch called on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay to investigate whether China violated Article 13 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right for anyone to return to his country, and Article 12 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, which provides that "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of the right to enter his own country."
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Statement by Initiatives for China
YANG JIANLI BARRED FROM ENTERING HONG KONG
Oct. 08, 2011

Prior to the 100-year anniversary commemoration of the Xinhai Revolution (Chinese Revolution of 1911), Chinese dissident Dr. YANG Jianli was once again barred from entering Hong Kong by authorities. Yang was forced to fly back to Taiwan. His original plan of attending an academic event was forced to be canceled. On October 10, Yang will instead attend a ceremony celebrating the 100th year of Xinhai Revolution in Taiwan.

On the morning of October 7th, 2011, Yang arrived Hong Kong from Taiwan via China Air flight 601. His flight landed in Hong Kong Airport around 9 a.m.. By 9:45 a.m., Yang arrived at customs with his Chinese passport and a U.S. permanent resident card. The customs officer was quite nice and performed routine processing on Yang's entry documents. When the document work was almost finished, the officer suddenly raised his head and stared at Yang for moments. The officer then asked Yang if Yang had been to Hong Kong before and what was the purpose for his coming visit. Yang replied that he came to Hong Kong back in March, 2008; his visit this time is to attend an academic event hosted by City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Citizens Party. After this, the customs officer noticed Yang's name appeared on the Blacklist and he called several elder officers. The elder officer told Yang that he was barred from entering Hong Kong. Yang told them that he holds a Chinese passport and that he entered Hong Kong with similar documentations back in 2008, there was no reason they could refuse entry this time.

After three hours of negotiation, Yang was still denied entry. Later, several officers came to the interrogation room Yang was put in and performed flight security checks. They gave notice to Yang that he will be put on a flight back to Taipei Airport, Taiwan. Yang opposed the decision of the authorities and was put forcibly on China Air by six airport officers. His documents was returned after he arrived Taiwan Taipei Airport, at 3:30 p.m..

Dr. Yang says that as a Chinese citizen, this was the third time he has been denied entry by Hong Kong authorities. He will discuss the case with international human rights lawyers to make decisions about these denials.

At this time, Dr. Yang will remain in Taiwan to attend the ceremony of celebrating 100th Year of Xinhai Revolution (National Day of Republic of China) on October 10th, in Taiwan as a China Mainland representative. The event host will be the Chairman of the Congress, Wang Jin-Pyng, and the President of the Republic of China, Ma Ying-Jeou, will deliver a speech.

www.unwatch.org

UN Watch is a Geneva-based human rights organization founded in 1993 to monitor UN compliance with the principles of its Charter. It is accredited as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Special Consultative Status to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and as an Associate NGO to the UN Department of Public Information (DPI).

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