UN Expert urges China to protect imprisoned Human Rights Defenders

Geneva [Switzerland], August 12 : A UN expert has urged China to safeguard the rights of imprisoned human rights defenders, calling for assurances that they are protected from torture and other forms of mistreatment, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office (UNHRO).

China should protect the rights of human rights defenders who are imprisoned, ensuring they are not subjected to torture or mistreatment, according to a UN expert, as reported by the United Nations Human Rights Office (UNHRO).

Mary Lawlor, the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, expressed her concern about ongoing allegations regarding the treatment of these defenders in Chinese prisons, including claims of torture, lack of adequate medical care, and denial of visitation rights.

She urged the Chinese Government to guarantee these detainees the ability to receive visits from family members and legal counsel, as well as to provide proper medical care and to confine them in officially sanctioned detention facilities, ensuring that information about their status is disclosed to individuals with a legitimate interest, as reported by UNHRO.

"Although I have made numerous requests, the Chinese authorities have yet to offer comprehensive responses concerning the treatment of these human rights defenders. Instead, they have only supplied generic statements with minimal specific details addressing the issues raised," Lawlor remarked.

She called upon the Chinese authorities to disclose thorough information regarding the health status and treatment, as well as access to familial support and legal assistance, for seven human rights defenders who are serving prison sentences of ten years or more in China.

In February 2025, the Special Rapporteur wrote to the Chinese authorities requesting specific details about the health and treatment of Ding Jiaxi, Huang Qi, Huang Yunmin, Ilham Tohti, Qin Yongmin, Zhang Haitao, and Zhao Haitong, including when they were last evaluated medically. She also sought clarification on allegations of mistreatment and the reasons behind imposed restrictions on family and legal visits for these seven defenders.

While some information regarding medical care and visitations was provided for two of the defenders, the remaining five received only vague or no information at all, as detailed in the UNHRO report.

Lawlor also inquired about the location of prominent human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, whose status has been unknown since 2017. Gao's wife, Geng He, currently in the US, continues to seek updates on his situation. During a public event in Washington, DC on July 8, 2025, Geng He reiterated her plea for assistance in finding him.

Referring to previous responses from the Chinese Government stating that Gao was not in state custody, Lawlor requested information regarding the actions taken by the authorities to locate him and any investigations initiated concerning his enforced disappearance.

"Gao Zhisheng has been missing for nearly eight years, and the Chinese Government's unwillingness to address his enforced disappearance is unacceptable. If he is not in prison, detention, or under house arrest, then the authorities must disclose what measures have been undertaken to determine his whereabouts," the expert stated, as mentioned in the UNHRO report.

The Special Rapporteur expressed her frustration that despite her requests for updates regarding any investigations into Gao Zhisheng's disappearance, no information has been provided thus far, and she reiterated her appeal to the Chinese authorities to clarify his fate and location, as reported by UNHRO.

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