The Treaty Body that oversees the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, composed of independent experts, recently completed its review of China‘s compliance. In its conclusions (called ‘Concluding Observations’), the UN committee expressed serious concern about ‘instances where labour and human rights activists, and their lawyers, have been victims of repression and reprisals while taking up cases of violations of economic, social and cultural rights’ and said that China is obliged under international law ‘to protect human rights and labour activists, as well as their lawyers, against any form of intimidation, threat and retaliation‘.
[The ISHR had briefed the treaty body experts on the case of Chinese human rights defender, Cao Shunli, on of the 3 Final Nominees of the MEA 2014, who died in detention after being denied access to adequate health care. In its briefing, ISHR also expressed concern at ongoing intimidation and reprisals against other human rights defenders, saying, ‘The Chinese Government again restricted human rights defenders from travelling to Geneva to attend this session, a pattern which is widespread. We call on the Committee to recommend that the government immediately cease its harassment and intimidation of human rights defenders, and that it guarantee the right of everyone to safely access and communicate with international bodies, such as this Committee. Further, we request that the Committee remain vigilant about reprisals, and that it recommend that the Government investigate all cases of alleged reprisals, and hold perpetrators to account.’] [http://www.ishr.ch/news/china-un-committee-demands-respect-human-rights-activists-and-end-reprisals]
Two days earlier, 26 May, the NGO Chinese Human Rights Defenders reported that Chinese authorities have detained a top rights lawyer and questioned dozens of activists and family members of victims of the 1989 military crackdown on the Tiananmen Square pro-democracy movement after they held a seminar to mark the sensitive 25th anniversary.
The move came after around 20 human rights lawyers, academics, and family members of victims attended a seminar in Beijing, where they called for a public inquiry into the crackdown on unarmed civilians by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Beijing-based rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang was detained by state security police, had his computer and other personal belongings confiscated, and was held for questioning, rights activists said. “It was all because of the seminar we held,” Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia told RFA.
Police also detained and questioned Beijing Film Academy professor Cui Weiping, social scientist Xu Youyu, Qinghua University professor Guo Yuhua, and fellow academic Qing Hui, before releasing them, CHRD said. Beijing-based writers Liu Di and Hu Shigen were also summoned along with film academy professor Hao Jian. According to CHRD international director Renee Xia, the 25th anniversary of the bloodshed is a particularly sensitive one for the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
Zhang Xianling, a prominent member of the Tiananmen Mothers victims group, said she still hopes that the administration of President Xi Jinping will pay attention to the group’s calls for a public inquiry to be held, for compensation to be paid to victims’ families, and for those responsible for the bloodshed to be held accountable. Zhang, 76, said. “It’s just a matter of time…It could be resolved within our lifetimes. It’s not out of the question, if I were to live another 15 years”. via Lawyer Held, Activists Questioned Over Tiananmen Seminar | Chinese Human Rights Defenders.
Front Line Defenders on the same day updated what is happening to Chinese human rights defender Mr Liu Shihui who was released from police custody in Shanghai only to be forcibly returned to his home town in Inner Mongolia by state security officers. [Liu Shihui has been repeatedly targeted. On 20 February 2011, he was brutally assaulted as he attempted to photograph a street protest in Guangzhou. He was held in incommunicado detention for 108 days, an experience which he later blogged about: http://www.siweiluozi.net/2011/08/ive-only-begun-to-scratch-surface-liu.html. On 26 May 2014, Liu Shihui posted a message on his microblog stating that the state security officers had come to collect him from the detention centre in the Pudong District in Shanghai, where he had been held since 13 May 2014. The human rights defender declared that, despite his protests that he was unwilling to return to his home town, state security officers forced him to board a flight to Inner Mongolia] See more on him: http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/25961.
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
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