E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.1
Page 82
387.
In conclusion, the Government emphasized that Turkmenistan is
demonstrating in practice its readiness to engage in a dialogue at the level of the
international organizations, and primarily with the United Nations, in a spirit of
constructivism and dedication to the achievement of the common goals defined in the
name of peace and of the well-being of each of the peoples constituting the foundation
of our cooperation within the framework of the community of nations.
Observations
388.
The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the Government’s response. She
remains, however, concerned about the number of alleged cases of violations or
limitations of the right to freedom of religion or belief. She also notes that the lack of
freedom of religion in Turkmenistan has been raised by other United Nations human
rights mechanisms. In its most recent concluding observations on Turkmenistan
(CERD/C/TKM/CO/5), the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
stated that, “while stressing the complex relationship between ethnicity a nd religion in
Turkmenistan, [it noted] with concern information that members of religious groups
do not fully enjoy their rights to freedom of religion”.
389.
In particular, the Special Rapporteur wishes to emphasize that the right to
freedom of religion is not limited to members of registered religious communities. As
she reminded in her previous report to the Commission on human rights, referring to
the OSCE/ODIHR Guidelines for Review of Legislation pertaining to Religion or
Belief, “registration should not be compulsory, i.e. it should not be a precondition for
practicing one’s religion, but only for the acquisition of a legal personality and related
benefits” (E/CN.4/2005/61, para. 58).
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Urgent ap peal sent on 25 April 2005 with the Special Rapporteur on the
promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the
Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on torture
390.
The Special Rapporteurs brought to the attention of the Government the
situation of Hua Jin , a 35 year-old student and national of the People’s Republic of
China, residing in Manchester, who was detained at Harmondsworth Immigration
Removal Centre and was at risk of imminent forcible return to China, following the
rejection of his asylum application. On 10 September 2003, around 2am, while on
vacation in China, he was arrested together with another person, Zhu Zhigong, in
Jinxi City, Liaoning, by officers of the Jinxi City Lianshan District Police. At the time
of their arrest, they were distributing Falun Gong-related flyers in a residential area.
They were brought to separate interrogation rooms on the second floor of the sta tion
and interrogated about their activities. Zhu Zhigong was beaten, including with
handcuffs. Hua Jin was slapped, beaten and kicked by three police officers, and lost a
tooth. The two men were later held together in a room, from which Hua Jin escaped
through a window. He reportedly remained in hiding for ten days in Taiyuan City,
Shanxi, before boarding a flight back to the United Kingdom on 21 September 2003.
He has been involved with Falun Gong activities prior to his arrival as a student in the
UK, for which his family has been threatened, and continues to be involved, including