“China’s long arm” threatens human rights activists Prominent Uyghur human rights activist from Germany arrested in South Korea – Immediate release is called for
The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has called for the immediate release of the Uyghur human rights activist Dolkun Isa, who is being held in South Korea. The German citizen of Uyghur descent had travelled on Tuesday to a series of lectures in Seoul at the invitation of the Korean Foundation for Democracy and two university institutes. He was arrested on arrival at the airport, reports the GfbV. He was only informed that he was being held in custody on an Interpol warrant. Dolken Isa is the General Secretary of the World Congress of Uyghurs, which has its base in Munich. This is the most important umbrella organisation of the Moslem ethnic group in China in exile.
“We take it that the warrant was implemented by China to silence one of the most important Uyghur human rights activists in exile”, said the GfbV Asia consultant, Ulrich Delius. “Once again China is using its long arm to intimidate Uyghur critics abroad.” The Chinese Ministry of the Interior has according to its own statement called on the German authorities since 2001 to close the Munich office of the World Congress and to deport its staff to the People’s Republic. “Our authorities have up the present resisted all such attempts and emphasised that all activities of the World Congress are in accordance with the German constitution and the relevant regulations”, reported Delius. Neither has the Bavarian Office for the Protection of the Constitution expressed any objections to the work of the Uyghur human rights activists.
Interpol unfortunately makes it easy for prosecuting states to intimidate critics. The legality of the national warrants issued in the prosecuting state is not as a rule subject to scrutiny. Interpol is only concerned with their international execution. “Isa is doubtless guilty in accordance with Chinese law with his documentation of violations of human rights, even if this activity is in accordance with German law perfectly legal”, said Delius.
“With the publication of “black lists” of Uyghur human rights activists by Chinese embassies throughout the world Peking is trying systematically to limit the freedom of movement of critics in exile.” It is not the first time that Dolkun Isa has landed in the sights of the Chinese security services. He was arrested by the UN security service in the spring of 2005 when visiting the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations in Geneva on the basis of Chinese security information. Following international protests the UN later apologized for the incident.
Ulrich Delius is also available at [email protected]
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