E/CN.4/2001/0063 page 9 Burundi 23. On 3 October 2000, in Kibimba commune, Brother Antoine Ruciano was stopped on the Gitega Province highway by four individuals wearing military uniforms. These individuals then summarily executed him and fled. China 24. In October 1999, Father John Gao Kexian of the Diocese of Yantai was reportedly taken into custody in Shandong for refusing to accept the control of the Catholic Patriotic Association. On 23 November 1999, Father Jiang Sunian of the Diocese of Wenzhou was reportedly arrested in Zhejiang in the context of a campaign by the Catholic Patriotic Association aimed at compelling Catholics to join it. In Hebei, late in November 1999, Bishop John Han Dingxiang was reportedly arrested in Shijiazhuang. Father Guo Yibao, Father Wang Zhenghe and Father Xie Guolin were also reportedly arrested in Hebei in 1999. Bishop James Su Zhimin of Baoding and Auxiliary Bishop Francis An Shuxin of Zhengding reportedly disappeared as long ago as 1996, while Bishop Julius Jia of Zhengding has reportedly not been seen since August 1999. In January 2000, Catholics in Zhejiang Province were reportedly compelled, after having been kept in detention for several days, to sign Catholic Patriotic Association membership forms. The police reportedly threatened to have their children expelled from school if they refused. Non-official Catholic properties, including two churches, were reportedly destroyed. On 25 May 2000, Father Jiang Sunian (see above) was reportedly sentenced by a court in Wenzhou to a six-year term of imprisonment for unlawfully printing Bibles and other religious materials. 25. China replied: “We have the honour to acknowledge receipt of letter No. G/SO/214 (56-13) dated 17 February 2000 from the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on religious intolerance. The Chinese Government has carefully investigated the allegations contained in this letter and wishes to make the following reply: I. Gao Kexian, a 74-year-old male from Boxing County, Shandong Province. Although the individual concerned is Catholic, he is not a priest. Inquiries made of the local public security services confirmed that he was not detained in any way. The allegation in the letter that ‘he was reportedly arrested by the police (in October 1999)’ for refusing to agree to register with the Catholic Patriotic Association is inaccurate. II. Han Dingxiang, a 61-year-old male from Chengan County, Hebei Province; Guo Yibao, a 32-year-old male from the village of Anji, Humu commune, Xushui County, Hebei Province; Wang Zhenghe (the correct spelling of this name is Wang Zhenhe), a 32-year-old male from the village of Anzhuang, Xushui County; Xie Guolin (the correct spelling of this name is Xie Xiaolin) from the village of Xuguozhuang, Yangqie County, Baoding; Su Zhimin, a 68-year-old male from