Public

AI Index: ASA 17/042/2002

Distrib: PG/SC

To: Health professionals

From: Medical team / Asia program

Date: 20 August 2002

UPDATE ON MEDICAL ACTION

Wang Wanxing: dissident’s continued detention

in a psychiatric hospital, China

(original action ASA 17/15/2000, 5 April 2000)

Key words unlawful detention / psychiatric confinement

Amnesty International’s concerns

Wang Wanxing, a long-standing human rights activist, remains detained in Ankang psychiatric hospital in Beijing, reportedly without suffering from a mental illness. The South China Morning Postreported on 3 August 2002 that Wang Wanxing was recently transferred to a ward where those convicted of murder are held. The ward is reportedly more secure and the regime stricter. Amnesty International is concerned at this change to his situation and the effect it may have on Wang Wanxing.

Wang Junying, wife of Wang Wanxing, reportedly told the South China Morning Postthat the most likely reason for the transfer of her husband to another ward was to pressure her to sign guarantee papers that would subject Wang’s release from mental hospital to strict limitations to his and his family’s freedom. This would include 24 hour surveillance, the monitoring of all their telephone calls and visitors and the need to report to the police station if they were in contact with any other dissidents. Wang Junying has reportedly stated that it would be impossible to live under those conditions. On at least one previous occasion, when Wang Wanxing had been released from hospital subject to restrictions, he had eventually been re-detained and forcibly taken back to the hospital for breaking the conditions. Wang Wanxing remains an outspoken dissident.

Amnesty International is repeating its calls for Wang Wanxing’s unconditional release.

Background information

Wang Wanxing was first detained in Ankang Public Security Hospital, managed by Beijing Public Security Bureau, on 3 June 1992. His wife was informed that he was suffering from a condition called "political monomania". The condition of political monomania does not appear in medical literature nor is it defined by the World Health Organization as an illness. According to Amnesty Internationals information, there is no evidence that Wang Wanxing has any form of mental illness. In the light of the evidence that is available to Amnesty International, it appears that the Chinese government is using psychiatric hospitalization in order to suppress political dissent.

Wang Wanxing was released on 19 August 1999 for a three month trial period. On 18 November 1999 Wang Wanxing asked the authorities if he would be allowed to hold a press conference after the end of the three month trial period to discuss his confinement. It was reported that on 23 November, in response to this request, eight public security officers visited Wang Wanxing's home and forcibly took him back to Ankang psychiatric hospital.

Recommended actions & addresses

Please write letters in English to the authorities below, using professionally-headed paper if you use this in your profession:

· introducing yourself in your professional capacity;

· expressing concern about the continued psychiatric confinement and recent transfer to another ward of Wang Wanxing, involuntarily detained in Ankang Public Security Hospital without suffering from any known mental illness;

· asking if Wang Wanxing has received a psychiatric examination and what diagnosis was made in line with internationally accepted medical standards;

· calling for Wang Wanxing to be unconditionally released;

· urging the authorities to unconditionally release any prisoner held in psychiatric detention for the peaceful expression of their beliefs rather than on strictly medical grounds.

Addresses

Mayor of Beijing Municipal People's Government

LIU Qi Shizhang

Beijingshi Renmin Zhengfu

2 Zhengyilu

Dongchengqu

Beijingshi 100744

People's Republic of China

Telegram: Mayor, Beijing, China

Salutation: Dear Sir

President of the Peoples Republic of China

JIANG Zemin Guojia Zhuxi

Beijingshi

Peoples Republic of China

Telegram: President Jiang Zemin, Beijing, China

Salutation: Your Excellency

Minister of Public Health of the People's Republic of China

ZHANG Wenkang Buzhang

Weishengbu

44 Houhai Beiyan, Gulou Xidajie

Beijingshi

People's Republic of China

Telegram: Minister of Public Security, Beijing, China

Salutation: Your Excellency

Copies

Please send copies of your appeals to the following addresses:

The Chinese Medical Association

42 Dongsi Xidajie

Beijing 100710

China

Fax: +86 10 6512 3754

E-mail: cmafrd@public3.bta.net.cn

Human Rights (Society) of China

Fax: +86 10 6491 2961

Ministry of Justice

Fax: +86 10 6529 2345

and to diplomatic representatives of China accredited to your country.

If you receive no reply from the government or other recipients within two months of dispatch of your letter, please send a follow up letter seeking a response, referring to your previous letter(s). Please do not be discouraged by the possible lack of replies to your letters. They are noticed. Please check with the medical team if you are sending appeals after 20 October 2002, and send copies of any replies you do receive to the International Secretariat (att: medical team).

Monitoring of action

If you have access to e-mail you can help our attempt to monitor letter-writing actions. If you write one, two, three or more letters, please send us an e-mail and let us know. Please write in the subject line of your e-mail the index number of the action and the number of letters you write

e.g. ASA 17/042/2002 - 3

Please send your message to medical@amnesty.org Thank you.