Letter from Councilor of Glasgow, Scotland to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations
SWITZERLAND

Dear UN High Commissioner

A matter of very serious concern has come to my attention and this is why I write to you now.

I have heard that Miss Minghui You, a one and half year old girl in Dundee, UK, has been denied both registration as a Chinese citizen and a passport, by the Chinese Embassy, simply because her parents practice Falun Gong exercise and meditation, resulting in baby Minghui becoming a stateless person.

Article 18 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights states:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion: this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

I am told that Minghui's mother, Zhengfang Mo, 29, was kicked and detained for a week by the Chinese authority for practicing Falun Gong when she visited China in December 1999, despite the fact that she was 8 months pregnant. China signed up to the UN Convention Against Torture in 1988 and is therefore obliged to investigate all allegations of torture and bring those responsible to justice.

And, Article 15 states:

"Everyone has the right to a nationality. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality."

I deplore the persecution and imprisonment of Falun Gong practitioners simply because of their beliefs and practices, and of the abuses and cruelty perpetrated against their children. If the Chinese authorities cannot provide due and reasonable cause for denying Chinese citizenship to Baby Minghui, she should be issued with the appropriate registration and passport identity, without delay.

Yours sincerely

COUNCILOR JEAN McFADDEN