The UN Arbitrary Detention Working group called yesterday asked China for a report on its practice of “enforced disappearances” and also to reveal the location of 355 detained Tibetan monks.

The monks were taken from the Kirti monastery in buses to an unknown location in April. In the process of detention the government is accused of “violently” removing a human shield of local elderly women attempting to protect the monastery, which resulted in the death of two villagers for which the cause has not been reported.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention which got the report that some of the monks have been released has requested the Chinese government the details of all the monks, as well as all others in China’s history of “enforced disappearances.” Working group in its report also recalled China’s promise to ratify two international treaties related to disappearing persons: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention earlier this March had asked the Chinese government to free detained human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng who is held in custody in violation of international law.

Report by Reuben