IPAC Calls on Ukraine to Block Deportation of Kazakh Asylum Seeker
The Presidential Office of Ukraine
Kyiv
11 November 2021
RE: Kazakh asylum seeker at risk of deportation to P. R. China
Dear President Volodymyr Zelensky,
We, Members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), write to you to express our concern about the ongoing case of Yilisen Aierken (Аєркен Їлісен), who is currently seeking asylum in Ukraine.
The government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is carrying out a global campaign of threats and intimidation against Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, Chinese dissidents and other activists abroad. Those extradited or deported to the PRC will not face a fair trial and are at severe risk of persecution, arbitrary detention and torture.
We have strong reason to believe that Yilisen Aierken is a target of political persecution at the hands of the PRC government. We urge you to oppose the deportation of Yilisen Aierken, and to ensure that those targeted by the PRC government are protected from any threats, intimidation and harassment at the hands of the PRC government in your jurisdiction.
As legislators from democratic countries across the world, we have taken great interest in his case and stand ready to advocate on his behalf.
Yours sincerely,
Hon. Irwin Cotler, former Attorney General of Canada
Uffe Elbaek, Member of the Danish Folketing
Pavel Fischer, Member of the Czech Senate
André Gattolin, Member of the French Senate
Kimberley Kitching, Member of the Australian Senate
Elisabet Lann, Deputy Mayor of Gothenburg, Sweden
Tom van der Lee, Member of the Dutch House of Representatives
Miriam Lexmann, Member of the European Parliament
Roberto Rampi, Member of the Italian Senate
Dovilė Šakalienė, Member of the Lithuanian Seimas
Louisa Wall, Member of the New Zealand Parliament
Senator Barry Ward, Member of the Seanad Éireann
Hon. Shiori Yamao, former Member of the Japanese Diet
CO-CHAIRS OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY ALLIANCE ON CHINA