More than two weeks have passed since the scheduled release date of the prominent Mongolian dissident Mr. Hada, December 10, 2010. Yet Hada, wife Xinna and son Uiles’s whereabouts and condition remain unknown.

Two relatives, Mr. Haschuluu, uncle of Hada, and Ms. Naraa, sister of Xinna, who were in contact with media outlets and human rights organizations and had given several telephone interviews to foreign media have been kept incommunicado for the past week.

The last communication the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC) had with Mr. Haschuluu was on December 18. During the brief conversation, Haschuluu told SMHRIC that no word has been received from the officials on Hada and his family members’ whereabouts and current condition.

“Things have been going from bad to worse. I was taken away and have been guarded by the State Security people round-the-clock,” Haschuluu told SMHRIC over the phone, “three people are following me now. They follow me everywhere like a shadow. Even at my work they sit next to me and monitor my every single move.”

“Although we haven’t received any further information on Hada and his family’s situation, I am pretty sure things must have been getting more serious with them,” Haschuluu was worried by the development of the case, “it is extremely difficult for me to continue to be in touch with you on their behalf.”

Regarding contact with Ms. Naraa, Haschuluu confirmed that the Public Security authorities in Hohhot, capital city of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (IMAR), confiscated her cell phone and barred her from receiving any outside calls.

Currently no relatives are available to speak on behalf of the family. All calls to the phone numbers of Xinna, Uiles, Haschuluu and Naraa remain unanswered.

In the remote eastern Southern (Inner) Mongolian city of Tongliao, Ms. Huuchinhuu, a dissident writer, a breast cancer patient and a member of the banned Southern Mongolian Democratic Alliance (SMDA), has been under hospitalization-cum-house-arrest since a week ago. As an outspoken critic of China’s policy toward Southern Mongolia, Huuchinhuu had already been under house arrest for 47 days for rallying the Mongols to gather together to greet Hada on December 10 upon his expected release. According to a communication received by SMHRIC, Huuchinhuu's deterioration of health and hospitalization were largely due to the harassment and constant stress from the round the clock security detail watching her every step. More than twenty State Security personnel with two vehicles guard her in four shifts on daily basis. At least two sit in front of her hospital room to monitor her and check all visitors’ identity cards.

In eastern Southern Mongolia’s Naiman Banner, another young Mongolian activist Mr. Arslan’s house arrest has been extended for his possible “public disturbance”. The local State Security Bureau dispatches occupy his residence to monitor all his activities. In early December, Arslan planned to organize a gathering in Ulaanhad (Chifeng in Chinese) City to cheer for Hada’s scheduled release on December 10. As a young activist and Internet blogger Arslan was previously detained several times by the Chinese authorities for planning to organize public protests against China’s heavy-handed ethnic policy in Southern Mongolia.

SMHRIC considers the Chinese authorities’ action of keeping Hada and his family members in police custody without any legal justification a state-sponsored abduction and an enforced disappearance. We urge the Chinese government to realize that not only does arbitrary detention of Hada and his family members violate international human rights conventions but also breaks China’s own laws that guarantee Hada’s freedom after serving his 15 year jail term.

SMHRIC also urges the Chinese authorities to release Ms. Huchinhuu and Mr. Arslan from house arrest immediately. It is especially important to provide Huchinhuu with appropriate treatment given her serious health condition battling breast cancer.