Good News: Jaranbayar Soyolt released!

Jaranbayar Soyolt (m) aged 48, Mongolian citizen

Mongolian human rights activist Jaranbayar Soyolt was released from custody in China on 16 June and returned to his home in the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, on 18 June. He was detained by immigration officials on 6 January at Beijing Capital International Airport and held in detention for two days before being transferred to a detention centre in Inner Mongolia. He was interrogated by the Chinese authorities about his alleged involvement in "overseas activities harmful to China’s security". He was not tortured or ill-treated in detention.

Jaranbayar Soyolt is a human rights activist and a founding member of several exiled dissident groups based in Mongolia. Originally a Chinese citizen from the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, he legally left China and settled in Mongolia in 1991, and became a Mongolian citizen in 1997. The Chinese authorities have labelled him a Mongolian separatist and have claimed that he is plotting to overthrow the ruling communist party of China.

Jaranbayar Soyolt and AI thank all who sent appeals on his behalf.