HUMAN RIGHTS: YUAN WEIJING PREVENTED FROM

C O N F I D E N T I A L BEIJING 005794 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/04/2032 TAGS: PHUM PREL CH SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS: YUAN WEIJING PREVENTED FROM TRAVELING TO BEIJING REF: BEIJING 5753 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Political Internal Unit Chief Dan Kritenbrink. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) On August 31 Yuan Weijing, wife of imprisoned legal activist Chen Guangcheng (reftel),was prevented from traveling to Beijing, where she planned to campaign for her husband's release, and was forcibly returned to her home in Shandong Province, according to Jiang Tianyong (protect),one of her husband's defense lawyers. Jiang told Poloff on September 4 that Ms. Yuan had left her Shandong residence and boarded a bus bound for Beijing on August 31 but had been forcibly removed from the vehicle by a group of more than 10 persons at a rest stop en route late that same evening. The group, whom Jiang presumed had been dispatched by the Linyi, Shandong local government, returned Ms. Yuan to her home two hours later. Since then, the number of local security personnel surrounding her residence at all times has been increased from two to fifteen. Jiang said Ms. Yuan's forced return was without legal basis, as she has been charged with no crime and should enjoy full freedom of movement within China. ¶2. (C) On September 4 Poloff conveyed to MFA Human Rights officer Xu Jing the Embassy's concern over Ms. Yuan's treatment. Ms. Xu pledged to report the Embassy's concerns to her superiors. Randt