Shen Tong was released without charge on 24 October 1992 and deported to the USA, where he had been resident before returning to China in August 1992. On 30 October Qian Liyun was released without charge, although some conditions were placed on her release. Qi Dafeng remains in custody. All were arrested on 1 September 1992 for “surveillance and investigation”; they were accused of trying to establish a branch of the “Democracy for China Fund”. Recent reports indicate that at least three others who had been in contact with Shen Tong (Sun Xiaobai, Zu Guoqiang and Mao Wenke) remain unaccounted for and may be detained in Hunan Province. AI fears that they too may be prisoners of conscience.
