Routers: Diplomats cautious on China's invite for torture envoy

Tuesday October 30, 2001

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's willingness to invite a United Nations torture investigator for a first ever visit might herald a softening on human rights but his trip is likely to come with conditions, diplomats said on Tuesday.

"As wonderful as the news sounds, we've heard it before, which is why I'm not leaping for joy yet," a Western diplomat said.

"There's got to be some kind of a hook," she said.

A European Union delegation in Beijing for regular human rights talks said on Friday China planned to invite the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture to visit "quite soon".

The rapporteur, British law professor Sir Nigel Rodley, has been negotiating the terms of a China visit since 1999.

Rights groups say torture, despite being outlawed, is common in Chinese jails and rooted in endemic legal and institutional deficiencies.

Rodley has insisted on unfettered access to prisons and detention centres during a fact-finding mission, but Beijing has said previously it would agree only to a "friendly" visit, which appeared to limit his access.

U.N. officials in Beijing said they had heard nothing of a forthcoming invitation, and Rodley, who investigates allegations of torture and degrading treatment worldwide, said he had had no contact with Chinese officials since May.

China's Foreign Ministry declined immediate comment.

Diplomats said China's willingness to invite the rapporteur did not necessarily mean it had eased the conditions for a visit and said China may be waiting until Rodley, who took up the U.N. post in 1993, stepped down later this year.

"They did not say that, but I suppose that is the case, of course," a second diplomat said. "I know that he is leaving the job."

OTHER RAPPORTEURS LINING UP

In addition to the torture envoy, other U.N. special rapporteurs have also asked to visit China and the EU delegation said on Friday Beijing was considering inviting the rapporteurs on religious intolerance and education.

But China has said it would consider the cases in order, the first diplomat said. Allowing the torture investigator to come could be a breakthrough for the bids of the others, she said.

"It would at least open the door. Right now the whole thing is just jammed. The failure to resolve Rodley basically means that nobody else can come in," the diplomat said.

The rapporteurs work under U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, who is scheduled to visit Beijing on November 7-9 for a seminar on teaching human rights, the United Nations said.

Rodley has expressed concern about "persistent allegations" of ill-treatment of Chinese detained in connection with political or religious activities, including members of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement.

[...]

Rodley has visited Mexico, Brazil, Kenya, and East Timor in recent years and has criticised many for abuses.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/reuters/asia-69054.html

DPA: UN Torture Talks Could Help Suspects, EU Says

October 29, 2001

BEIJING, Oct 29, 2001 -- (dpa) China's apparent willingness to allow United Nations inspectors to assess its record on torture could promote the rights of criminal suspects, especially the right to silence, a senior European Union official said on Friday.

China has "agreed in principle" to a visit by the UN special rapporteur on torture, said Michael Goblet D'Aviella, head of an EU human rights delegation to China.

"They gave us the impression that the invitations were forthcoming," said Goblet D'Aviella, representing the current Belgian EU presidency.

In talks with the EU, China showed a "clear shift in policy" towards more cooperation with the UN and increasing contact with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, who is scheduled to visit china next month, he said.

China has a "clear commitment" to curbing torture and asked the EU to help in the "huge task" of educating officials and police, said Spanish EU official Angelos Pangratis.

Many Chinese police still use violence to force criminal suspects to give statements, but a planned China-EU workshop on torture in Brussels in December and a pilot scheme to allow suspects the right to silence are encouraging signs that the government is committed to change, Pangratis said.

The EU human rights delegation raised range of other issues, including China's use of the death penalty, arbitrary detention, and its harsh treatment of members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement and [...].

The EU also asked for information on 47 detained Chinese citizens and received responses on about 36 cases.

The delegation told Chinese officials that the EU hoped to see "concrete results and tangible improvements" as a result of the twice-yearly China-EU dialogue on human rights, which began in 1997, he said.

http://www.europeaninternet.com/support/article.php3?id=750691