• Urgent Action

Urgent Action: Activist Detained for Reporting Torture (China: UA 31.21)

March 4, 2021

Prominent human rights defender Li Qiaochu was taken away by police on 6 February 2021, shortly before the Lunar New Year. According to a detention notice her parents were asked to sign, she might be facing charges related to subversion. Li’s detention is suspected to be related to her efforts to publicize the torture and ill-treatment at Linshu County Detention Center. Detained incommunicado for a month, there is concern that Li Qiaochu is at risk of torture or other ill-treatment, as she remains without access to her family or a lawyer of her choice.

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  1. Write a letter in your own words or using the sample below as a guide to one or both government officials listed. You can also email, fax, call or Tweet them.
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Director Li Dengquan Linyi Shi Public Security Bureau 7 Shanghai Lu, Lanshan Qu Linyi Shi, Shandong Sheng People’s Republic of China
Ambassador Cui Tiankai Embassy of the People’s Republic of China 3505 International Place NW, Washington DC 20008 Phone: 202 495 2266 I Fax: 202 495 2138 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ChineseEmbinUS Salutation: Dear Ambassador
SAMPLE LETTER Dear Director Li, I am writing to express my grave concern for Li Qiaochu (李翘楚), who has been held incommunicado since being taken away by police on 6 February 2021. According to the detention notice that her parents were summoned by Beijing police to sign, Li might be facing charges related to subversion merely for engaging in peaceful activism. It is alarming to learn that Li has been detained without due process and that she has had no access to her lawyer and family. On 19 February 2021, Linyi Municipal Public Security Bureau denied her lawyer’s request to meet with Li. Without any access to Li Qiaochu, it is unclear whether she has prompt, regular, and unrestricted access to medical care. Suffering from depression since June 2019, there are fears for Li’s mental and physical health if she does not get the care she needs in an appropriate and prompt manner. Li Qiaochu is a prominent researcher on labor rights and has been a peaceful advocate against gender-based violence for many years. It is deeply upsetting that Li Qiaochu has been detained on suspicion of such serious charges solely for speaking about and reporting human rights violations. I urge you to immediately and unconditionally release Li Qiaochu, unless there is sufficient credible and admissible evidence that she has committed an internationally recognized offense and is granted a fair trial in line with international standards; pending her release, ensure that Li Qiaochu has regular, unrestricted access to family and lawyers of her choice and is not subjected to torture and other ill-treatment; and allow her prompt, regular and unrestricted access to medical care on request, or as necessary. Yours sincerely, [YOUR NAME] ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
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