Amnesty International of Canada launched letter writing compaign

December 13, 2000

China:

Zhang Kunlun, Prisoner of Conscience

On November 15, 2000, Zhang Kunlun, a 59-year-old Canadian citizen, was sent to a Chinese labour camp for three years, without charge or trial, for refusing to renounce his belief in Falun Gong, a system practitioners say improves their physical health and moral standards. Amnesty International considers him to be a prisoner of conscience and is calling for his release from detention.

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Please send letters or faxes to the addresses below

expressing concern that Zhang Kunlun has been detained solely for the peaceful expression of his fundamental rights to freedom of belief, expression and association.

expressing concern at reports that Zhang Kunlun has been tortured during his detention;

urging the Canadian government to press Chinese authorities for the immediate and unconditional release of Zhang Kunlun;

asking the Canadian government to seek assurances from the Chinese government that while Zhang Kunlun remains in detention he not be subjected to further ill-treatment or torture.

SEND APPEALS TO

The Right Honourable Jean Chretien

Prime Minister of Canada

House of Commons

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0A6

FAX: [phone]

EMAIL: [e-mail]

(Salutation: Dear Prime Minister)

The Honourable John Manley

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

125 Sussex Drive

Ottawa, Ontario

K1A 0G2

Fax: [phone]

EMAIL: [e-mail]

(Salutation: Dear Minister)

COPIES TO

His Excellency Mei Ping

Chinese Ambassador to Canada

515 St. Patrick Street

Ottawa, Ontario

K1N 5H3

Fax: [phone]

(Salutation: Your Excellency)

BACKGROUND

Zhang Kunlun was first detained on July 27, 2000, after practising Falun Gong exercises in a public park in Jinan city, Shandong province. He was held for one month until August 27, 2000. During his detention, he is reported to have been beaten and severely tortured with high voltage electric shocks. He was detained a second time on October 27 as part of an apparent mass arrest of Falun Gong practitioners in Shandong province. A few days later while in detention, Zhang Kunlun took part in a group hunger strike. He was admitted to hospital, then allowed to return home on November 5 while he recovered his health. On November 15, Zhang Kunlun was picked up once again from his home and taken to Liu Chang Shan labour camp in the southwest suburbs of Jinan.

Sculptor and university professor, Zhang Kunlun came to Montreal in 1989 as a visiting scholar. Among other things, he taught art at McGill University in Montreal. He returned to China in 1996 to take care of his elderly mother-in-law and took up his former position as professor at Shandong University of the Arts. His wife, Zhang Shumei, was also detained on July 27 and held for three days, but was allowed to return home to care for her 90-year-old mother. The Chinese authorities have closely monitored her movements since that time.

Amnesty International is deeply concerned about the reports of mass arbitrary detentions, torture and ill-treatment and deaths in custody of practitioners of Falun Gong since the movement was banned by Chinese authorities in July 1999. Falun Gong is one of several groups branded as "heretical organizations" by the Chinese government and targeted by it in a politically motivated crackdown.

For further information on Amnesty International's concerns regarding the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners, please see the report The crackdown on Falun Gong and other so-called "heretical organizations" (ASA 17/11/00 issued on March 23, 2000.)