China: Treatment of family members of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese authorities; situation of persons who unwittingly or knowingly assist Falun Gong practitioners (e.g., by allowing use or rental of property, offices, office equipment, vehicles, etc.); the treatment of such persons if they deny knowledge of having assisted Falun Gong practitioners, agree to cease such assistance, or denounce Falung Gong
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa |
| Publication Date | 11 July 2007 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CHN102560.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, China: Treatment of family members of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese authorities; situation of persons who unwittingly or knowingly assist Falun Gong practitioners (e.g., by allowing use or rental of property, offices, office equipment, vehicles, etc.); the treatment of such persons if they deny knowledge of having assisted Falun Gong practitioners, agree to cease such assistance, or denounce Falung Gong, 11 July 2007, CHN102560.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/46c4037e1a.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Treatment of family members
In 8 June 2007 correspondence, a representative of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada stated that
[the Chinese] authorities use ... family members as "hostages" to force [Falun Gong] practitioners to give up the practice. If practitioners do not cooperate with the authorities, their family members are subject to punishment as well.... The punishment includes harassment by the police (random visit by police to the home), arbitrary interrogation, losing [a] job, losing [the] chance of promotion, losing [a] pension/state housing, etc.
The Representative further noted that there have been cases of arrests of family members of Falun Gong practitioners (Falun Dafa Association of Canada 8 June 2007).
The United States (US)-based Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group (FGHRWG), an organization that publicizes "human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners" (FGHRWG n.d.a), similarly notes that the Chinese government "torments" family members of Falun Gong practitioners to pressure them to renounce the practice (ibid. n.d.b). On its Web site, the FGHRWG states that "brothers and sisters are fired from their jobs, elders are stripped of their retirement benefits, and children are expelled from school" (n.d.b).
In a submission to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee of Australia, the Falun Dafa Association of New South Wales indicates that, besides "common" Falun Gong practitioners, Chinese authorities have also targeted "family, friends and workplaces of practitioners, overseas practitioners, as well as ... non-practitioners" (8 July 2005, 3).
Corroborating information from non-Falun Gong sources could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
Treatment of persons who are associated with or assist Falun Gong practitioners
According to the 2006 annual report of the United States (US) Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), the Chinese authorities "harass and punish Chinese rights defenders and lawyers who defend Falun Gong practitioners against government persecution" (20 Sept. 2006, 96).
In August 2006, Chinese authorities arrested civil rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng (US May 2007, 122; HRIC 31 Oct. 2006). Gao has been recognized as a defender of groups "targeted" by the Chinese government, including Falun Gong (ibid.; see also BBC 13 Dec. 2006; The New York Times 10 Apr. 2007), and had written an open letter to China's President Hu Jintao criticizing the government's "abuses" of Falun Gong practitioners (US 15 Sept. 2006; HRIC 30 Nov. 2005). In December 2006, the lawyer was reportedly convicted of subversion and sentenced to three years in prison; however, the conviction was later suspended and Gao was placed on probation for five years (US May 2007, 122). In a public statement, reported in April 2007 news articles, Gao claimed that he received a lighter sentence due to his confession, which was obtained after authorities had subjected him to torture and had threatened to punish his family (IHT 11 Apr. 2007; see also The New York Times 10 Apr. 2007).
The Representative of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada noted in her correspondence that there have been reports that persons who assist Falun Gong practitioners could face fines, threats and "harassment," even though they themselves are non-practitioners (8 June 2007). The Representative provided an example of a woman who was arrested for renting living space to Falun Gong practitioners (Falun Dafa Association of Canada 8 June 2007). Further or corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
A 25 November 2006 article of the Hong-Kong-based South China Morning Post indicates that a member of the China Democratic Party, a dissident political group (PHW 2007 Oct. 2006, 246), was arrested in Hangzhou [Zhejiang province, south-eastern China] for being in possession of Falun Gong materials (South China Morning Post 25 Nov. 2006). The man was reportedly a non-practitioner of Falun Gong and the materials belonged to a friend (ibid.). Information on charges brought against the man could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response. Many lawyers in China reportedly declined to defend the man due to the "sensitivity" of his case (ibid.).
In 31 August 2005 correspondence from the New York-based Human Rights in China (HRIC), a representative indicated that the organization has heard of cases in which non-practitioners have been detained by police after Falun Gong adherents slipped pamphlets on the movement under their door and a "neighbour with a grudge" proceeded to alert authorities. The Representative noted that such episodes are more common in the northeastern and central regions of China and that a "certain percentage" of Public Security Bureau (PSB) officials "just want to make arrests and look like they're doing their jobs, especially if they're part of a 'stability bureau' entrusted with keeping a lid on troublesome elements like [Falun Gong]" (HRIC 31 Aug. 2005).
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006 similarly indicates that the Chinese authorities have established quotas for Falun Gong arrests (US 6 Mar. 2007, Sec. 2.c). In order to meet these quotas, in 2006, Chinese authorities arrested former Falun Gong adherents and placed them in "reeducation camps" (ibid.). Implemented in 1957, the reeducation through labour camp system, or Laojiao, allows the police to detain criminal suspects for up to four years (BBC 1 Mar. 2007; AP 28 Feb. 2007). The system reportedly provides the police with the flexibility to detain and punish large groups of people without trial (ibid.). A 28 February 2007 Associated Press (AP) article notes that, according to critics, the system has been "misused to detain political and religious activists, and violates suspects' rights."
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Associated Press (AP). 28 February 2007. "China May Adjust Labor Camp System That Rights Groups Want Abolished." (International Herald Tribune Web site)
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). 1 March 2007. "China Reviews 'Re-education' Law."
_____. 13 December 2006. "Chinese Lawyer 'Secretly Tried'."
Falun Dafa Association of Canada. 8 June 2007. Correspondence from a representative.
Falun Dafa Association of New South Wales. 8 July 2005. Submission to the Secretary of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee, Canberra.
Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group (FGHRWG). N.d.a. "Contact."
_____. N.d.b. "Overview of Persecution of Families."
Human Rights in China (HRIC). 31 October 2006. Monthly Brief.
_____. 30 November 2005. Monthly Brief.
_____. 31 August 2005. Correspondence from a representative.
International Herald Tribune (IHT) [Neuilly Cedex, France]. 11 April 2007. Joseph Kahn. "China Dissident Puts Confession in Doubt." (Factiva)
The New York Times. 10 April 2007. Joseph Kahn. "China Dissident Says Confession Was Forced." (Factiva)
Political Handbook of the World 2007 (PHW 2007). October 2006. Edited by Arthur S. Banks, Thomas C. Muller, William R. Overstreet. CQ Press: Washington, D.C.
South China Morning Post [Hong Kong]. 25 November 2006. "Chinese Activist Charged for Possession of Nine Commentaries." (BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific/Factiva)
United States (US). May 2007. US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Annual Report.
_____. 6 March 2007. Department of State. "China (includes Tibet, Hong Kong, and Macau)." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006.
_____. 20 September 2006. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. Annual Report 2006.
_____. 15 September 2006. Department of State. "China (includes Tibet, Hong Kong, and Macau)." International Religious Freedom Report 2006.
Additional Sources Consulted
Oral sources: Human Rights in China (HRIC) did not provide additional information within the time constraints of this Response.
Internet sites, including: Amnesty International (AI), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), China Aid Association (CAA), China Information Center, European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Human Rights Watch (HRW), Laogai Research Foundation, United Kingdom Home Office, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
