PUBLIC AI Index: ASA 17/013/2009

31 March 2009

Further Information on UA 85/09 (ASA 17/012/2009, 26 March 2009)Fear of torture and other ill-treatment

CHINA Wei Liangyue (m) aged 44 husband and wife

Du Yongjing (f)

Human rights lawyer Wei Liangyue and his wife Du Yongjing have been released and returned home after 30 daysofdetention. Both were released on bail on 30 March pending furtherinvestigation. Wei Liangyue remains under suspicion of “gathering a crowd to disturb social order”andDu Yongjing is still under suspicion of “using a heretical organization to undermine implementation of the law”.

Wei Liangyue’scolleagues told Amnesty International that theywere released on bail pending investigation because of insufficientevidence to further the charge. Inmid-March,according to sources, the police thought of sending Wei Liangyue to Re-education Through Labour, a form of administrative detention imposed without charge, trial or judicial review, but gave up the idea because of insufficient evidence to back up the measure.

On 28 February,Wei Liangyue drove to pick up his wife Du Yongjing from a gathering at her friend’s home. The police accused them of “attending a Falun Gong meeting” and took them to Nangang District Detention Centre in Harbin. Both of themwere interrogatedrepeatedly during the detention. Wei Liangyue was once interrogated throughout the entire night,but was not tortured.

Before the detention,Wei Liangyue has been repeatedly warned by the local authoritiesthat he had tostoprepresentingdetained Falun Gong practitionersand should stopgiving them not guilty defence.

Wei Liangyue believes that international attention and pressure contributed to him and his wife’s temporary release, and would like to thank thosewho have taken actionsfor them.

No further action is requested from the UA network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.