UN gives list of dissidents to Chinese Communist Party privately

Leaked emails prove that UN human rights officials did hand over the names of Chinese dissidents to the Chinese Communist regime before they were ready to testify about CCP abuses in Geneva. Previously, the UN had denied the scandal.

In fact, leaked documents show that the practice of handing over the names of Chinese dissidents to the authoritarian regime is considered “customary” by all involved. Whistleblowers tell us that this practice continues to this day, despite the UN’s denials.

Communist authorities use the names they receive from the UN to prevent dissidents from leaving China. At least one dissident was designated by the UN and arrested by the Chinese Communist Party at a Chinese airport before traveling to Geneva, where the UN Human Rights Council is headquartered. She is Cao Shunli, a well-known Chinese rights activist. Cao Shunli died during her arrest by the Chinese Communist Party.

According to Emma Reilly, the first U.N. employee to expose the scandal, if a dissident is expected to embarrass Beijing at the U.N. and that person is already abroad, the CCP will make frequent threats against that person and even kidnap and torture that person’s Family.

Critics of the Chinese Communist regime whose names have been turned over by the UN include activists concerned about Tibet, Hong Kong, and the Uighur community in western China, all of whom have been targeted by the CCP for various reasons.

The scandal was reported in February 2020, as was the retaliation Riley faced for trying to expose and stop the practice. Riley’s case is still ongoing at the United Nations. She is still employed there, but is under “investigation.

For years, the UN has denied that it provides the names of dissidents to the Chinese Communist Party. However, because of leaked emails about the practice, it is now clear that the UN misled its member governments and the media about the scandal.

Leaked Documents Reveal Details of Communication Between CCP and UN Officials

One of the explosive emails was sent by a diplomat at the Chinese Communist Party’s mission to the UN in Geneva on September 7, 2012, asking relevant UN officials for information on those Chinese dissidents who would testify before the UN Human Rights Council.

“As is customary, can you check for me if the people on the attached list have requested permission to attend the 21st session of the Human Rights Council?” “My delegation has some security concerns about these people,” the Chinese communist diplomat asked in an email to the relevant UN department.

In response, a UN official confirmed to the CCP diplomat that two dissidents on the CCP list had in fact been approved and were planning to attend. The U.N. official’s name has been withheld from the leaked email.

The official said that according to your request …… Dolkun Isa and He Geng have been accredited to attend the 21st session of the Human Rights Council.

File photo of Geng He, wife of prominent mainland Chinese rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng.

The official confirmed this, however, without apparent concern for the safety of the dissidents or their families still in China.

Aisha is president of the World Uighur Congress, which advocates for the rights of Uighur people in western China’s Xinjiang region who are being brutally persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party.

A year after this email, UN security personnel attempted to remove Aisha from the Human Rights Council chamber at the request of a delegation from the Chinese Communist regime. However, Riley intervened to prevent his eviction.

Another dissident identified by the UN in an email to the CCP delegation, Geng He, is the wife of imprisoned Chinese human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. Zhisheng Gao is a Christian who wrote a book about the torture he suffered at the hands of the Chinese Communist Party for his work and faith.

One of the reasons for the brutal torture of Zhisheng Gao was that his wife spoke at the United Nations, and UN officials leaked that information to the CCP in advance in that email.

Another leaked email was sent in 2013, in which the same CCP diplomat again sought to identify Chinese dissidents who were expected to expose CCP atrocities at the Human Rights Council.

“The Chinese (CCP) delegation has had very good cooperation with you and your department in previous sessions.” In an email obtained with other media, the Chinese Communist Party diplomat told the U.N. official. “We are very grateful for that.”

“This Time, I need you to do me another favor.” The Communist diplomat continued, “Some separatists against the Chinese (Communist) government are trying to attend the Human Rights Council meeting under the guise of other NGOs. They may pose a threat to the UN and the Chinese (CCP) delegation.”

“Could you please verify and let me know if the people I list below are accredited to participate in the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council?” This CCP diplomat asked, and asked the UN official to communicate the information via email or phone call.

Once again, dissident Dorikun Aisha appears among the names on the Communist Party’s list.

The UN human rights official responded to this email from the CCP delegation by providing the names of the four activists expected to attend the Human Rights Council.

Reporters are withholding the names of these activists, which have not been made public, for reasons of protection and privacy.

Riley: UN Complicit in genocide by Putting Dissidents at Risk

As the UN confirmed the list of dissidents to Chinese Communist diplomats, Riley was both outraged and horrified.

“It’s a terrible practice, and if the U.N. is going to do it, at least they have to make sure it’s public so people can know they’re going to be put in danger,” Riley told in a videoconference interview.

“It’s basic decency and basic standards of humanity – not to secretly put these people in danger. Is that too much to ask?” Riley asked.

Prominent human rights organizations around the world have slammed the U.N. for endangering the lives of dissidents and their families.

In his comments, Riley described the practice as “criminal” and even suggested it made the U.N. “complicit in genocide.

Dissident Aisha said that Chinese communist agents showed up at his Home overseas to try to silence him. The Communist Party has also arrested his family in China, including his mother, who died in a Communist “concentration camp” in 2018. His brother was also arrested. And his brother has been missing since 2016. Communist media reported that Aisha’s father also died, although Aisha did not know when and where he died.

Attempts to contact the Chinese Communist diplomat who requested the dissident’s information from the United Nations using the Swiss cell phone number listed in the email were unsuccessful.

The emails show that from the beginning, Riley opposed providing the names of dissidents to the Chinese Communist Party. Instead, she advocated notifying individuals who had already been targeted by the Chinese Communist Party.

Eric Tistounet, head of the Human Rights Council Branch of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, argued that the list was public and therefore the CCP’s request could not be denied.

Indeed, the leaked emails show Tistounet recommending that action be taken as soon as possible to avoid “exacerbating China’s (CCP) mistrust.

“When did this become part of the (UN) consideration?” Riley asked rhetorically in the comments.

The leaked emails confirming that the UN gave the names of Chinese dissidents to the Chinese Communist Party caused a huge stir in the Turkish media. In Europe and the United States, however, the scandal was barely mentioned in the media.

Riley: UN’s Bad Behavior Continues Until Now

Riley told that senior UN officials have been trying to mislead UN member states, the media and the public for years over the scandal of informing the Chinese Communist Party of information about Chinese dissidents.

From 2013 to 2017, the U.N. claimed this practice did not occur. In January 2021, a UN spokesperson was quoted as telling the Turkish state media “Anadolu Agency” that the UN had stopped this practice since 2015.

However, on February 2, 2017, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) acknowledged in a press release that it does confirm to foreign governments the identity of those approved to participate in its human rights activities.

“Chinese (Communist Party of China) authorities and other governments often approach the UNHRC in the days or weeks before a Human Rights Council session to inquire about the participation of specific NGO representatives in upcoming sessions.” OHCHR said, “The office never confirms this information until the accreditation process is formalized and it has been determined that there is no apparent security risk.”

But Riley said she was shocked by the rhetoric in the OHCHR press release.

“The only security clearance that was done was by a Chinese (Communist) diplomat,” she told.

In fact, the transcript of the case shows that Riley questioned whether the UN had any evidence of its so-called “security” checks before handing over the names. No evidence was provided.

Everything, she said, was about whether the dissidents would cause problems for Communist diplomats at the U.N. “This has nothing to do with ensuring anyone’s safety.”

It’s also a serious violation of the U.N.’s own rules, Riley said. If governments want to know who is attending a meeting, they should ask in the presence of other U.N. member states.

Riley told that the U.N. practice of handing over the names of dissidents to the Chinese Communist Party continues to this day.

“It has now become my personal mission and responsibility to prevent this U.N. complicity in genocide.” She said.

The U.N. has retaliated against whistleblowers who expose the practice. Documents obtained show that some of the most senior officials within the U.N. system attempted to silence, discredit and retaliate against Riley’s efforts.

OHCHR did not respond to requests for comment sent regarding the leaked emails or the broader scandal.

In early 2020, OHCHR declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation. However, Riley told this week that she has given them full permission to comment on the case to the media.

Various spokesmen for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also declined to comment.

Riley urged journalists around the world to examine documents, records of internal court cases and other evidence to see who is telling the truth – and then report it so the world can see what is happening.

Riley said this is a systemic problem at the U.N. “without external oversight.” She also cited other examples of whistleblowers who have been persecuted for trying to do the right thing.

“Unless member states take action, this will continue.” She said.

Riley also expressed deep concern about the close relationship between Chinese Communist Party operatives and senior officials within the UN human rights system responsible for protecting human rights.