TNAG-2861-FCO40-4115-Expulsion-of-Han-Dongfang--Chinese-dissident--from-China-to--1993 — Page 52

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FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1386

OF 271054Z AUGUST 1993

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

ICE!

INFO PRIORITY WASHINGTON, UKREP JLG HONG-KONG-

17

OUR TELNO 1373: HAN DONGFANG

THE

1 WE HAVE JUST SEEN AN NCNA REPORT OF A STATEMENT MADE THIS AFTERNOON BY A MINISTRY OF PUBLIC SECURITY (MPS) SPOKESMAN IN PEKING. THIS SAYS THAT IF HAN ''SHOWS SIGNS OF REPENTANCE CHINESE AUTHORITIES WILL RECONSIDER WHETHER HE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO CHINA. THE STATEMENT DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE SUFFICIENT SIGNS OF REPENTANCE.

2. THE OTHER NEW ELEMENT IN THE STATEMENT CONCERNS THE BASIS UNDER

CHINESE LAW FOR THE ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST HAN. THE MPS SPOKESMAN ASSERTED THAT, BY CARRYING OUT SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CHINA, HAN HAD BREACHED ARTICLE 4 OF THE PRC LAW ON STATE SECURITY AND ARTICLE 4 OF THE LAW ON IMMIGRATION. THE REVOCATION OF HIS PASSPORT WAS REVOKED UNDER ARTICLE 13 OF THE IMMIGRATION LAW. THE STATEMENT DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO JUSTIFY THE CHINESE ACTIONS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW.

COMMENT

3. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER THIS WILL PROVIDE AN OPENING LARGE ENOUGH FOR HAN TO STEP THROUGH. HE HAS PUBLICLY DENIED ENGAGING IN SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE CHINA. SO IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT HE WILL BE WILLING TO APOLOGISE FOR HAVING DONE SO.

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