4-5-2005 - The Full Text of Bob Fu's Speech on April 5 at UNCHR Plenary Session CAA Leader Speaks at UNCHR General Assembly on Religious Intolerance, China Officials Mocked for Retaliation with Procedural Tactic

A Women’s Voice International

Speaker: Xiqiu “Bob” Fu
Intervention: Item 11, Religious Intolerance
April 5, 2005

Mr. Chairman, A Woman’s Voice International (AWVI) would like to draw to the attention of this Commission the plight of three leaders of the Chinese house church movement who have experienced persecution at the hands of state authorities in the People’s Republic of China: Cai Zhuohua, Gong Shengliang and Chen Jingmao.

Cai Zhuohua, Christian pastor from Beijing, was arrested September 11, 2004, by National Security operatives, for printing “illegal religious literature.” Cai’s wife, Xiao Yunfei was also arrested November 27, 2004. This case, according to the Chinese Government newspaper, is labeled the most serious case of foreign religious infiltration since the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

According to the China Aid Association, Cai’s arrest was a directive from the highest level of the Communist Party, as expressed in a secret document released by a Woman’s Voice International during a parallel session this past week. According to a recently released fellow inmate, Pastor Cai was repeatedly tortured by electric shocks and was forced to falsely confess, which could lead to a ten to fifteen year prison sentence under the current criminal code. The Chinese government has repeatedly threatened his attorney not to defend him.

AWVI believes this case will set a precedent for freedom of the press and freedom of religion in China and will help determine how the Chinese constitutional laws which are supposed to guarantee such freedoms are actually defined.

Gong Shengliang was sentenced to life in prison October 10, 2002, by the Court Hubei Province. He is now being held at Section Four, Te Yi Hao, Miaoshan Development Zone, Jiangxia District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province. This case involved the arrest and sentencing of many women of Pastor Gong’s church who were tortured into falsely accusing Gong of rape.

According to eyewitness reports, Gong’s mental and physical health has suffered due to the harsh treatment in prison. AWVI accepts the testimony that indicates Gong was framed, and considers the prospect of a life sentence, coupled with the other irregularities and abuses in this case, an outrage against justice.

Chen Jingmao, age 74, of Chongqing City, was sentenced October 10, 2002, to four years in prison for sending his granddaughter to a Bible class training school. Chen is now being held in Sanxia Prison, Chongqing City. He is reported to be in very poor health and will die in prison if he is not released soon.

Though China has amended its constitution to protect human rights, these three cases exemplify both the arbitrary nature of what passes for justice in the People’s Republic of China and the sad state of religious freedom there. AWVI calls upon all Members of this Commission to urge China to release Gong Shengliang, Cai Zhuohua and Chen Jingmao without delay. We further ask the Commission to hold China accountable for upholding the freedoms of thought, conscience, religion and belief for all its citizens. Finally, we call upon the Commission to use all the tools at its disposal to convince China to cooperate with UN mechanisms and to desist from persecuting religious minorities.