Human rights
Proposed new laws in China may mean the disappearance of Christian human rights campaigners will continue, Release International (RI) has warned.
The draft criminal procedure law was unveiled, ostensibly to ‘safeguard’ human rights. However, Andy Dipper, of RI, said it would not provide any protection for Christian leaders and Christian human rights campaigners.
Under the law, the police will be required to notify the families of suspects who have been detained. Yet, if the authorities accuse someone of subversion or being a threat to state security, they will be under no obligation to tell their families where they are — and Christians are branded as ‘subversive’.
Mr Dipper said, ‘We fear the disappearances are set to continue. All too often, Christian pastors and human rights activists are regarded as political dissidents and branded a threat to state security.
‘Christians have been arrested, kept under surveillance and even tortured. Christian human rights lawyers have been “disappeared” in an attempt to intimidate and silence them. That looks set to continue’.
