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Breaking News - Chengdu rights advocates detained during Condoleezza Rice’s disaster area visit

According to reports, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in China on June 29. Her first stop was to visit victims of the earthquake-stricken area in Sichuan. On the same day, Chengdu rights advocates Huang Xiaomin and Chen Yun-Fei were taken into police custody, with June 4th Justice Website chief Huang Qi detained since the 10th June.

The above news is brought to you by Lu Fang, Xong Bin and hosted by Chris Thomas for Breaking News on SOH Radio Network.U.S. Secretary of State Madam Condoleezza Rice arrived on June 29 to commence her trip of condolences in the earthquake-stricken area in Chengdu, Sichuan. The same day a number of rights activists were summoned by the police. Chengdu rights activist Huang Xiaomin called for Ms. Rice to be concerned about the rights and safety of Sichuan rights advocates including Huang Qi and the deteriorating human rights issues in China.

On June 29 two police officers in Chengdu did not produce any procedure, forcibly taking rights activist Huang Xiaomin somewhere in an urban area. Huang Xiaomin told our reporter that with no subject, police officers made no transcript but talked of random trivia that lasted over 3 hours until they released him. Huang said:

[Recording]: “I’m not doing much lately, mostly to call for the attention and concern for the human rights of Mr. Huang Qi. That day, they also asked a number of such simple topics, in the verbal summons. We, the rights advocates, should not be deprived of rights and personal freedom because of Rice’s trip to the Sichuan disaster area.”

Police denied summoning Huang Xiaomin had anything to do with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Sichuan disaster area. Mr. Huang Xiaomin hopes that Ms. Rice can be concerned about the interests and personal safety of Sichuan rights activists and the deteriorating human rights issues.

[Recording] “We hope that U.S. Secretary of State, Madam. Condoleezza Rice would pay attention to rights advocates in Sichuan Province, including Mr. Huang Qi who was recently detained, to be concerned that the Communists government’s approach prior to the Olympics has deteriorated the human rights situation in China.” News on SOH Radio Network.U.S. Secretary of State Madam Condoleezza Rice arrived on June 29 to commence her trip of condolences in the earthquake-stricken area in Chengdu, Sichuan. The same day a number of rights activists were summoned by the police. Chengdu rights activist Huang Xiaomin called for Ms. Rice to be concerned about the rights and safety of Sichuan rights advocates including Huang Qi and the deteriorating human rights issues in China.