Mr. Hada, prominent ethnic Mongolian political prisoner in China, has not been released as of the end of December 10, 2010 local time, the scheduled due date of his release from the Chinese prison after serving his 15 years jail term for “splitting the country and engaging in espionage”. No relative of Hada has been officially notified of his release by the authorities although some State Security personnel unofficially suggested earlier to Mr. Haschuluu, uncle of Hada who lives in Ulaanhad (Chifeng in Chinese) City where Hada has been imprisoned, that Hada has already been transferred to Hohhot, capital city of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

“Hada’s relatives in Horchin Right Front Banner (Ke You Qian Qi in Chinese) were prepared to pick him up from Ulaanhad and had previously purchased their train tickets to welcome him at release,” Haschuluu told the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center over the phone, “but upon being told that he was transferred to Hohhot, I asked them to cancel their tickets to Ulaanhad.”

“It was a trick by the State Security Bureau to prevent any gathering of Mongols including Hada’s relatives in Ulaanhad” Haschuluu told SMHRIC, “Hada’s whereabouts are still unknown.”

According to Haschuluu, the authorities have called a series of urgent meetings in many schools, colleges and other units where the number of Mongols is substantial and ordered them to suspend all public events since as early as December 1. The Mongolian High School of Ulaanhad City where there are more than a thousand Mongolian students has been ordered not to have any public events starting from December 1 to December 20, 2010, after being informed of the scheduled release of Hada. All students and teachers of the school must obtain permission to leave the campus.

In the family’s empty bookstore warehouse Ms. Naraa, sister of Xinna, along with her mother who lives in Bogot (Bao Tou) City, 120 miles west of Hohhot, has been waiting for the arrival of Hada. Yesterday, Naraa was given the confiscated keys of the Mongolian Studies Bookstore and its warehouse that were searched by authorities intensively before being sealed shut.

“I contacted the Public Security and State Security authorities of Hohhot City about Hada’s whereabouts and release time,” Naraa told SMHRIC over the phone, “I haven’t heard a single word about his release.”

“I am totally puzzled and panicked. I don’t know what to do first,” Naraa said when SMHRIC asked about the detention of Xinna and Uiles, “I have to take care of two detainees, one political prisoner and their bookstore and warehouse. I tried to bring medicine to Xinna and clothes to Uiles, but I was denied a visit with them.”

Hada’s wife Xinna and their son Uiles have been detained at the Inner Mongolia No.1 Detention Center in Hohhot since December 4 and December 5 after being taken away by police separately. According to Naraa, a copy of warrants on the detention of Xinna and Uiles given to her by the Public Security authorities in Hohhot states that Xinna is accused of “running illegal business” and Uiles is accused of “being involved in drug dealing”. No lawyer was made available to defend the members of Hada’s family.

SMHRIC considers the Chinese authorities’ acts of ongoing and persistent persecution of Hada’s family as a well-planned retaliation against the family’s refusal to acquiesce to the authorities’ demands for silence.

On this Human Rights Day, SMHRIC calls on the Chinese Government to release all members of Hada’s family and all ethnic Mongolian dissidents and activists who have either been detained, imprisoned or put under house arrest due to their peaceful expression for freedom, human rights and national self-determination of Southern Mongolia.