Lawyers detained under cult charges

Three Chinese human rights lawyers and an unknown number of other citizens remain in detention after being taken away by police on 21 March 2014 while visiting a black jail in Jiansanjiang, Heilongjiang Province.

At least one of the lawyers, Tang Jitian, has been given a 15-day administrative sentence for “using a cult to disrupt social order”. It is not clear what charges have been brought against the other detainees.

According to a statement released by the Chinese Human Rights Lawyers Group, Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jitian, Wang Cheng and Zhang Junjie, along with “many other citizens”, were taken away by local police on 21 March the day after they had visited a “legal education centre” at Qinglongshan Farm site in Jiansanjiang. The four lawyers were in the process of filing a lawsuit with the local authorities on behalf of the relatives of detainees held at the centre. Lawyer Zhang Junjie has now been released.

Lawyers Tang Jitian and Jiang Tianyong have both specialised in cases concerning religious freedom violations; Jiang Tianyong, a Christian, has represented Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners. Tang Jitian has also advocated for the rights of religious groups. According to China Aid, members of religious communities, including unregistered church Christians, have also been held at the “black jail” or “legal education centre” which the lawyers were visiting.

Lawyers and activists from other parts of China have gathered in protest in Jiansanjiang; at least four are on hunger strike. They have condemned the detention of Jiang, Tang, Wang and Zhang, and the other citizens and are calling for their immediate release, a full investigation into the incident in accordance with the law, and the investigation and outlawing of “black jails”.

Mervyn Thomas, Chief Executive of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said, “We join Chinese human rights lawyers and other citizens in condemning the detention of Jiang Tianyong, Tang Jitian, Wang Cheng, Zhang Junjie and the relatives of those detained at Qinglongshan. This case demonstrates the dangerous and arbitrary use of “cult” related charges to detain human rights defenders, as well as members of religious communities. We applaud these lawyers’ courage in pursuing justice for the victims of unlawful detention, including religious minorities. We further call for the immediate release of those lawyers and citizens still in detention, and strongly urge the Chinese authorities to launch a full and impartial investigation into this case.”

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, email kiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.

_{Notes to Editors:}

_{1. “Black jails” are unofficial, extra-legal detention centres which are often used to detain petitioners who have attempted to make complaints to higher authorities. Rights groups report the widespread use of torture and sexual and physical abuse in black jails.}