TNAG-2908-FCO40-4182-Detention-of-Hong-Kong-residents-in-China-1993 — Page 58

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MDADAN 5104

AUGUST 1991 AND FORMALLY ARRESTED IN ZHENGZHOU, HENAN IN OCTOBER OF THAT YEAR. HE WAS THEN HELD IN A REMAND CENTRE AT ZHENGZHOU FOR INVESTIGATION. FAMILY ACCESS WAS NOT ALLOWED WHILE HE WAS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. NEVERTHELESS, THEY STRESSED THAT CHONG'S FAMILY WERE AT LIBERTY TO CONTACT THE ZHENGZHOU PSB DIRECT FOR MORE INFORMATION. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE LEGAL LIMIT WAS NORMALLY 3 MONTHS DETENTION BEFORE TRIAL, BUT EXCEPTIONS COULD BE MADE IN DIFFICULT CASES, IN WHICH CASE THESE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPORTED TO AND ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS. WE ASKED WHETHER THEY COULD CONFIRM THAT THE PSB HAD FORMALLY APPLIED FOR AN EXTENSION TO THE 3 MONTHS RULE. THEY WERE UNABLE

TO DO SO.

4.

SINCE THEN WE HAVE APPEALED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BEHALF OF CHONG'S FAMILY. IN THESE APPROACHES WE HAVE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR EARLY CONFIRMATION WHETHER CHONG HAD BEEN FORMALLY CHARGED: IF SO, WITH WHAT, AND IF NOT, HE BE BROUGHT TO FAIR TRIAL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CHONG'S DAUGHTER HAS ALSO, FOLLOWING NCNA'S SUGGESTION TO US, WRITTEN A NUMBER OF TIMES TO THE ZHENGZHOU PSB DIRECT FOR MORE INFORMATION AND FOR EARLY RELEASE OF HER FATHER. ON THE LAST OCCASION (11.1.93), WE HANDED HER LETTER TO NCNA AND ASKED THEN TO TRANSMIT IT TO THE ZHENGZHOU PSB. BUT SHE HAS YET TO RECEIVE ANY REPLY: AND OUR MOST RECENT ENQUIRIES HAVE ELICITED NOTHING MORE FROM NCNA.

5. CHONG IS BEING DETAINED FOR SEEMINGLY AN OPEN-ENDED PERIOD. IT IS MOST UNSATISFACTORY THAT EVEN A SIMPLE REPLY CANNOT BE MADE TO CHONG'S FAMILY ABOUT HIS PRESENT POSITION. CHONG'S FAMILY ARE NATURALLY EXTREMELY DISTRESSED ABOUT THE CASE AND LOOK TO US FOR HELP. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE CASE WITH NCNA HERE, BUT AS WE ARE GETTING ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF PEKING COULD REINFORCE THESE EFFORTS IN PARALLEL. WHAT WE WOULD LIKE IS A FULL REPLY FROM THE AUTHORITIES CONCERNED ON CHONG'S LEGAL

POSITION AND AN ACCOUNT FOR HIS DETENTION BEYOND THE LEGAL LIMIT. IF CHONG IS STILL BEING HELD IN DETENTION, THEN WE SHOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT HE AT LEAST BE CHARGED AND BROUGHT TO TRAIL WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.

PATTEN

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