Reporters Without Borders strongly condemns the trumped-up charges of “illegal business activities” and “drug possession” that the Chinese authorities have brought against the wife and son of Hada, the Mongolian human rights activist who should have been released last December on completing a 15-year jail sentence.

In an interview for the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Centre on 4 May, Hada’s sister-in-law, Naraa, revealed that Hada’s wife, Xinna, and his son, Uiles, are being held in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, and that they were formally charged on 17 January. Arrested in early December, their only crime was to support Hada in his fight to defend his basic rights.

Naraa’s interview has confirmed fears that Hada and his two closest relatives are still being detained that that they have not have not been resting in a luxury hotel, as the China authorities claimed last December. Uiles was to have gone on trial at the end of April, but the trial has been postponed without a new date being set, Naraa said.

Naraa said the Chinese authorities have made it clear to Hada and his relatives that they will not be freed until they sign an undertaking to abandon their human rights activities. Until now, they have refused to do this, she said. Hada has gone on several hunger strikes in protest against the conditions in which they are being held. His health has deteriorated and is now very worrying.

Information about the fate of Hada, Xinna and Uiles has been very slow in emerging. The movements and communications of other members of the family have been closely monitored and both telephones and computers have been confiscated.

Reporters Without Borders calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Hada, Xinna and Uiles, and for an end to the surveillance of their other relatives.

The press freedom organization also calls on the Chinese authorities to provide precise information about the present whereabouts of Govruud Huuchinhuu, who has been missing since leaving hospital on 27 January after appealing online for Hada’s release.

Timeline:

 4/5 December 2010: Hada’s wife, Xinna, and son, Uiles, were arrested.

 10 December 2010: On the day Hada should have been released, he was transferred to another prison in Inner Mongolia.

 11 December 2010: Photos of the family were posted online, under the legend “family reunion.”

 14 December 2010: Nara, Hada’s sister-in-law, was told by the authorities that Hada, Xinna and Uiles were “resting” at a five-star hotel.

 17 January 2011: Xinna and Uiles were formally arrested and charged.

 25 January 2011: A video was posted anonymously online showing Hada meeting his uncle, Hashuluu.

 1-4 February 2011: The authorities asked the three detainees to sign an undertaking not to continue publicly expressing their views.

 6 February 2011: Xinna and Uiles were taken to different prisons after refusing to sign the undertaking. Hada began a new hunger strike.

 20 February 2011: Naraa’s last visit.