Further Information on UA 99/06 (24 April 2006) and follow- up (19 June 2006) - Fear of torture and ill- treatment/Forcible return/Fear of death penalty

CHINA Husein Dzhelil (known as Huseyin Celil) aged 37, Canadian citizen

Husein Dzhelil, who is originally from China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is being held in incommunicado detention in China after being forcibly returned from Uzbekistan at the end of June. He is at risk of serious human rights violations, including torture or other ill-treatment, and possibly the death penalty if tried and convicted of a 'serious crime'.

Husein Dzhelil reportedly fled China in the mid-1990s after being detained in connection with his political activities there, which included advocating the rights of Uighurs. He eventually went to Turkey where he sought asylum through the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He was recognized as a refugee and resettled to Canada in 2001. He now has Canadian citizenship.

Husein Dzhelil was detained on 27 March in Uzbekistan while visiting his wife's family. Amnesty International learned that he was held in Kuiluk detention facility near Tashkent from the end of April or beginning of May. His lawyer was reportedly denied access to him as were his relatives who were only allowed to pass on food, clothes and money. When his father-in-law went to deliver a food parcel on 9 June, the prison guards reportedly told him that officers from the National Security Service had taken Husein Dzhelil to an unknown location. The Uzbekistani authorities reportedly forcibly returned Husein Dzhelil to China at the end of June.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION Over recent years, Amnesty International has monitored growing numbers of forced returns of Uighurs to China from several of its neighboring countries, including those of Central Asia, such as Uzbekistan. In some recent cases, returnees are reported to have been subjected to serious human rights violations, including torture, unfair trials and even execution.

The Chinese authorities have been mounting a crackdown on the 'three evil forces' of 'separatist, terrorist and religious extremists' in the XUAR. It has resulted in serious and widespread human rights violations directed against the region's Uighur community, prompting many of them to flee the country.

The death penalty is used extensively and often arbitrarily in China. Based on public reports available, Amnesty International estimated that at least 1,770 people were executed and 3,900 sentenced to death in 2005. The true figures, which are classified as a 'state secret', are believed to be much higher. A Chinese legal expert was recently quoted as stating the true figure for executions to be approximately 8,000 per year. Over recent years, Amnesty International has documented several cases of Uighurs being sentenced to death and executed in the XUAR for alleged 'separatist' or 'terrorist' activities.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible: - expressing concern for the safety of Husein Dzhelil who is being held in incommunicado detention and requesting information about his whereabouts; - calling on the Chinese authorities to guarantee the safety of Husein Dzhelil and to give him access to lawyers of his choice and to members of his family; - calling for guarantees that he will be treated humanely in detention, and will not be tortured or ill-treated, sentenced to death or executed; - urging that he be released immediately unless charged with an internationally recognizable criminal offence; - reminding the authorities that Husein Dzhelil is a Canadian citizen and urging that he be given access to Canadian consular officials in China while he remains in detention.

APPEALS TO:
Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China:
WEN Jiabao Guojia Zongli
The State Council
9 Xihuangcheng Genbeijie
Beijingshi 100032
People's Republic of China
Fax:  011 86 10 6529 2345 (c/o Ministry of Communication)
Email:      gazette@mail.gov.cn
Salutation:       Your Excellency

Chairman of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Regional People's Government:
Ismail TILIWALDI Zhuxi
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu Renmin Zhengfu
2 Zhongshanlu
Wulumuqishi 830041
Xinjiang Weiwuer Zizhiqu
People's Republic of China
Email:      master@xinjiang.gov.cn
Salutation:       Dear Chairman

Ambassador Wen Zhong Zhou
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202 328 2582
Email: chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn

Please send appeals immediately. Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after 19 August 2006.

Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable).
Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax:     202.675.8566