Thread by @ISHRglobal

(1/10) Wondering what we mean when we say "the UN human rights system"? Not sure what it can do to support #YuWensheng @xuyan709 and other lawyers/HRDs in China?

Let's start with 2018 and see....

https://twitter.com/ISHRglobal/status/1218849352229277696

(2/10) The Working Group on #EnforcedDisappearances is a group of experts the UN has appointed to examine trends and individual cases, as part of the @UN_SPExperts. In Feb 2018, they wrote directly to the Chinese government to ask about Yu’s whereabouts.

(3/10) Other UN experts – on arbitrary detention, HRDs @ForstMichel and #freedex @davidakaye – also wrote to the Chinese govt to raise concerns. They highlighted RSDL, detention without access to family or a lawyer, at risk of torture.

They asked for a response within 2 months.

(4/10) In the end, the Chinese government did write back to the UN experts – but their 'response' was only one paragraph!

Zero substantive answers.
Zero real cooperation.
Zero accountability.

(5/10) In these cases, political pressure can help. And indeed, many govts were also worried about Lawyer Yu. They spoke out at the March 2018 Human Rights Council #HRC37, urging China to release him.
Kudos+thanks, @EU_UNGeneva @usmissiongeneva @GermanyUNGeneva!

(6/10) The UN disappearance experts met again in May 2018, and were unsatisfied with the Chinese government’s responses – they STILL didn’t know where Lawyer Yu was. They pointed out that China was ignoring international law by keeping him from a fair trial.

(7/10) Again, governments at the June HRC were not happy with the situation – #YuWensheng and other HRDs defenders were still detained, and moreover, China was not fully cooperating with the @UN_SPExperts.

Turns out, they weren't meeting treaty obligations, either...

(8/10) After its 2015 review by Cttee against Torture, China was told to stop its crackdown on lawyers and change its laws to align with the treaty. The govt claimed progress on these recs, but experts disagreed: the info they received was vague, failing to address many concerns.

(9/10) In Sept 2018, another Council, another call for China to #FreeYuWensheng, this time by @GermanyDiplo.

And in Oct 2018, ahead of #ChinaUPR, the UK asked China about progress to release HRDs, incl lawyer Yu, while Norway asked about protection for human rights activists.

(10/10) And finally, during the 2018 #ChinaUPR, the govt was encouraged to address the situation of HRDs. As a review by peers, which every UN member state commits to, this should have led to constructive outcomes...

But up until today, Xu Yan still fights to #FreeYuWensheng.