Xu Shuang fu/Li Maoxing/Wang Jun
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Written answers and statements, 18 July 2006
David Drew (Stroud, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Chinese government on the cases of (a) Xu Shuang fu, (b) Li Maoxing and (c) Wang Jun.
Kim Howells (Minister of State (Middle East), Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Pontypridd, Labour)
Xu Shuangfu, Li Maoxing and Wang Jun are members of an unconventional underground Christian group, the Three Grades of Servants, who have been accused of murdering 20 leaders from a rival religious group. The information we have from non-governmental organisations gives a cautious assessment of the group's activities and status. We continue to monitor developments closely, but are unable to make representations to the Chinese Government on these cases until we receive evidence that their convictions are based on false grounds.
The Government have lobbied the Chinese Government in general terms to limit, and ultimately abolish, their use of the death penalty, and improve its provision of proper legal defence in criminal trials.