"Society for Threatened People" Contacts Chinese Ambassador to Austria Regarding the Rejection of Yong Wang's Passport Extension

The Honorable Lu Yonghua
Chinese Ambassador to Austria
Chinese Embassy
Metternichgasse 4
1030 Vienna

Vienna, July 28th 2004

Re: Mr. Yong Wang's passport extension.

Dear Mr. Ambassador:

We, the Society for Threatened People (GfbV), are a nonprofit Human Rights Organization that promotes the human rights of religious and ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples to draw attention to violations of human rights and release such information to the public. Mr. Yong Wang advised us concerning his Chinese passport extension rejection. We understand that he has not received, as of date, a written clarification concerning the denial of his right and freedom of travel.

We view your actions concerning the revocation of Yong Wang's citizenship without any clarification of due process as a serious violation of human rights, given legal precedence and direct as well as indirect declarations of applicable UN Agreements.

We wish to advise that Mr. Yong Wang's association with Falun Gong may not be the cause to deny his freedom to travel. We further wish to advise that he holds the right to freedom of belief and freedom of expression. We understand that your action is a first in the history of Austria, reflected in the denial for a Chinese citizen, residing in Austria, to travel freely from and to his homeland. Furthermore, we are under the impression that this decision is to be viewed as a precedent for future actions, and that we thus may expect similar or the same actions towards other Chinese citizens.

We sincerely request a written response and clarification concerning Mr. Yong Wang's passport extension denial.

Sincerely,

Dr. Hans Bogenreiter

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