CSW urges China to resume human rights dialogue

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today called for the immediate resumption of the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue.

The dialogue, which provides an opportunity for frank discussion regarding human rights concerns between the UK Foreign Office and the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs, was due to take place on 11 January. CSW has learned that it is being postponed by the Chinese.

This decision follows China's execution of Akmal Shaikh, a British national, only last month, and its decision to give a fifteen year prison term to a Uyghur Christian called Alimujiang Yimiti. A Charter 08 signatory, Liu Xiaobo, was recently sentenced over subversion charges.

The whereabouts of prominent human rights lawyer, Gao Zhisheng, remains unknown and ten church leaders from Shanxi province face the new year in jail.

Alexa Papadouris, CSW's Advocacy Director said: "We call for the Chinese to resume the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue as soon as possible and keep to their commitment to utilise this mechanism to discuss difficult issues. CSW also calls on the Chinese government to release Gao Zhisheng, Alimujiang Yimiti and the Fushan church leaders who are representative of many other cases of repression."

Source: CSW