HRWF (01.12.2008) / Website: http://www.hrwf.net - Email: info@hrwf.net - On 1 December 2008, Kim Sang Hun, a well-known South Korean human rights activist, that HRWF Int'l had invited to testify at the European Parliament on the next day about China's policy of forced repatriation of North Korean refugees was intercepted by the Chinese police at the airport of Beijing and prevented from testifying at the European Parliament. Here is his story he emailed to HRWF when he arrived in Seoul:
"On Monday, 1 December, 2008, I arrived in Beijing airport at around 11:00 hrs, local time, as scheduled, for transfer to OS 54 taking me to Vienna, without entering China, on my way to Brussels. At few steps from the aircraft, I saw an airline staff waiting for me with a sign "OS 54 Vienna."
I stopped at the airline staff and told the young girl I was the passenger. At this moment, serveral policemen stepped in and took me to an area of boarder guards offices in the airport. Without a single word of questions or explanation, they searched my body all over. I had no idea what they are looking for and in any case they found nothing. The room had a number: E5NO51 on the door. Then some 30 minutes later, they took me to another room where I found my two pieces of luggage. I was told to open it. I said no unless you tell me first about your charge against me. They said they have right to do so and forced me to open my luggage. They searched for something inside out of my luggage. They found nothing. They disappeared without any word and explanation. I was taken back to the first room. There were two policemen assigned to watch me in the room. No explanation. My connecting flight was at 14:35 and I told them I should not miss my flight. No answer and no explanation. At around 14:50 h, an airline staff appeared and took me to a flight going back to Seoul at 15:30 h. I was forced to take the flight and I am now back to Seoul. I am going to lodge an official protest to the Chinese government through the South Korean government.
In the meantime, I am terribly sorry to miss the conference this time and all the inconvenience this may cause you. You already have my presentation texts and a brief video file. I would greatly appreciate it if some one could make the presentation on my behalf. Please inform the participants of what happened to me at the Beijing airport and apologize to them on my behalf for not being able to be with them at the conference. In recollection, I should have taken the route via Tokyo at more expenses."
This is the true face of China. Nevertheless, the voice of Kim Sang Hun will not be silenced and his paper will be read at the conference at the European Parliament.
HRWF Advocacy on Human Rights in China in 2008
21-22 February: Co-organizer of the "International Forum: Human Rights in China and the 2008 Olympics" and presentation of a paper on "Religious Freedom in China in 2008"
5 March: Guest-speaker at the conference "Persecution of Christian Minorities in the World" at the European Parliament: Paper on "Persecution of Christians in China in 2008"
6 March: Letter to China's ambassador in Brussels assessing the lack of progress in human rights in China + in annex the Declaration signed by 4 Sakharov Prize laureates, 8 Members of the European Parliament and 12 human rights NGOs at the Conference organized by Human Rights Without Frontiers Int'l at the European Parliament on 18 December 2007
19 March: Co-signatory of a letter to the IOC
21 March: Co-signatory of the Joint Statement of the "Human Rights Torch Relay in Mainland China"
2 April: Participation in the demonstration of the Tibetan Community of Belgium (Brussels)
3 April: Publication of an op-ed "Winning Gold for Hypocrisy" in The European Voice, weekly newspaper published in Brussels
15 April: Publication of the article "Standing up to Intimidation" in "The Parliament Magazine" Nr 265 (15 April 2008)
3 May: Open Letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to restore the accreditation of Taiwanese journalists
17 May: Statement for the "Human Rights Torch Relay" in New York City
30 May: Statement for the "Human Rights Torch Relay" in Kiev
25 June: Uyghur Day in Brussels
- Demonstration for the rights of the Uyghurs in China
- Private meeting between Rebeyia Kadeer and Members of the European Parliament
- Public ceremony of signature of Rebeyia Kadeer's book in German and speeches at the EP
1 July: Organizing meetings between a delegation of activists from South Korea campaigning against China's forced repatriation of North Korean defectors and officials of the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council
2 July: Organizing a demonstration of 65 cyclists from South Korea outside China's embassy in Brussels - Interviews by Radio Free Asia, Yonhap News Agency & NTDTV
9 July: Co-organizing a demonstration outside the European Parliament in Strasbourg against the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors by China
9 July: Publication of an Op-ed "Unnatural selection in China" in the weekly magazine "The European Voice" (Brussels)
17 July: Interview by Voice of America about the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors by China
19 July: Speech at the Torch relay in Hong Kong
25 July: Preparation of HRWF Int'l submission to the Universal Periodic Review of China's human rights by the U.N. in Geneva.
5 August: Appeal to NGOs to submit their report to the Universal Periodic Review of China's human rights by the U.N. in Geneva by 2 September (deadline).
6 August: Co-organizing a press conference in Brussels with CIPFG (Coalition to investigate the persecution of Falun Gong)
20 August: Participation in a press conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Brussels to support human rights defender Gao Zhisheng
26 August: Participation in the delegation handing over to the head of the Brussels Bar Association a letter of support to Gao Zhisheng
1 September: HRWF Int'l submitted its report on religious freedom in China to the Geneva-based UN mechanism "Universal Periodic Review"
10 September: Dinner conference about "Taiwan's bid for meaningful participation in the UN bodies" with Dr Zhang, deputy representative of Taiwan Office as guest-speaker
12 September: HRWF Int'l submitted a concept note to the European Commission for a project to be carried out in China
18 October: HRWF Int'l started a campaign of letters to French President Sarkozy urging him to stop the financing of FECRIS, an anticult movement defaming Falun Gong and financed by the French state
2 December: Organizing a conference at the European Parliament: "Human Rights in China After the Olympics and Before the UN Universal Periodic Review"
