American Humanitarian Activist and Pastor Detained in China: Express Your Concern

Alert Issued: August 31, 2005

UPDATE: After 15 months of imprisonment, pastor and humanitarian activist Reverend Phillip Jun Buck, was released from jail in China after being sentenced to a fine and deportation. Reverend Buck was safely reunited with his family in Seattle, Washington on August 21, 2006.

"My family and I insisted on his retirement from this hard work and begged him to live with us in the United States where he could have a comfortable life. But we were always met with a same reply from our father: somebody has to do this work of helping North Korean refugees and he was that somebody. He refused to have a comfortable life when North Korean refugees were suffering and dying."
— Grace Yoon, daughter of Reverend Buck

Pastor and humanitarian activist Reverend Phillip Jun Buck was detained on May 9, 2005 by Chinese police and remains in jail in Yanji, China. Reverend Buck provides humanitarian aid and shelter to fleeing refugees from North Korea, most of whom are hungry and destitute.

An American citizen, Reverend Buck was detained along with three other pastors from the United States and South Korea. Though the others were all released later that day, Reverend Buck remains in detention almost four months later and has still not been formally charged.

Human Rights First is also extremely concerned about Reverend Buck’s health, given that he is 67 years old and suffers from health problems. His family is fearful that he will not be physically resilient enough to endure a prolonged period of imprisonment in China. The pastor was reportedly hospitalized just a few weeks ago because of his fragile physical condition.

Reverend Buck’s arrest comes amid a crackdown on North Korean refugees in China and the humanitarian aid workers who assist them. Join Human Rights First in asking the Chinese government to release Reverend Phillip Jun Buck, and to develop policies that respect the rights of North Korean refugees in China and ensure their humane treatment.

Tell Me More

Each year since the late 1990s, thousands of North Koreans flee into China to escape fierce political repression. The North Korean government (The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) is one of the world’s most repressive and brutal authoritarian regimes. The government retains absolute control over political, social, religious and economic life in the country, harshly punishing dissent or independent thought. Freedom of religion, press, association, and basic rights are virtually non-existent in North Korea.

Independent human rights, social welfare and civic organizations are banned, and public meetings not previously authorized are prohibited. Reports of severe human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial killings, are commonplace, particularly in prisons where starvation and execution are widespread. There are reported to be over 200,000 political prisoners in North Korea.

North Koreans who flee their country face extremely harsh consequences if they return, including arbitrary detention, torture, long prison sentences and even death. The North Korean government considers leaving the country without state permission (“defection”) to be a capital crime, punishable by execution.

Once they have made it across the border, North Korean refugees live in constant fear of apprehension and possible repatriation by the Chinese authorities. Over the last few years, China has been increasing the number of arrests and forcible returns of North Korean refugees, despite its obligations under international law to protect refugees and asylum seekers.

The intensifying crackdown on North Korean refugees in China has also extended to those providing assistance to refugees, including humanitarian activists who help North Koreans in China.

Reverend Phillip Jun Buck

Born in North Korea, Reverend Buck immigrated to the United States in 1982 and eventually became a U.S. citizen. While visiting his family in North Korea for the first time in 1997, Reverend Buck was struck by the harsh economic and social conditions.

Since 1997, Reverend Buck has built numerous shelters for North Korean refugees in China and has provided hundreds with food, shelter, and care. He has also traveled extensively in order to raise money for his humanitarian assistance programs.

Three pastors were detained along with Reverend Buck, though those three were all released later that day. During the investigation into his humanitarian work by Chinese authorities, Reverend Buck has consistently maintained that he has no political affiliation or purpose – that his reasons for assisting North Korean refugees are entirely humanitarian and motivated only by his desire to alleviate the extreme suffering of the refugees. The pastor left behind a comfortable life and his family in the U.S. in order to provide aid to vulnerable North Koreans.

Human Rights First is also extremely concerned about Reverend Buck’s health, given that he is 67 years old and suffers from health problems. His family is fearful that he will not be physically resilient enough to endure a prolonged period of imprisonment in China. The pastor was reportedly hospitalized just a few weeks ago because of his fragile physical condition.

International human rights standards, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under any form of Detention or Imprisonment prohibit arbitrary detention and require that those arrested be provided due process under the law. This includes promptly informing those arrested of the charges brought against them.

For more information about Reverend Phillip Jun Buck, visit http://www.helpbuck.com/, a website begun by Reverend Buck’s son and daughter in the U.S.

Sample Letter

President Hu Jintao
Chinese Communist Party
Yongdingmenjie
Beijing 100032, PRC

Dear President Hu,

I am writing to express my deep concern about the May 9 detention of humanitarian activist and pastor, Reverend Phillip Jun Buck. Reverend Buck was apparently detained for his humanitarian assistance to North Korean refugees in China. Reverend Buck was detained along with three other pastors, but although the others have since been released, Buck has been kept in detention in Yanji for close to four months. Despite the length of his detention, I understand that he has still not been formally charged with any crime. I urge you to ensure that Reverend Buck is provided due process and humane treatment, as is his right under international law.

Reverend Buck provides humanitarian assistance to North Korean refugees. Reverend Buck, now an American citizen, has expressed a deep fondness for China and for his former countrymen in North Korea. His only “offense,” it appears, is providing food, shelter and care to frightened families escaping starvation and political repression. I hope you will agree that he should not be penalized for such humane activities.

I am also extremely concerned about Reverend Buck’s state of health, given that he is 67 years old and suffers from serious health problems. His family is deeply concerned that he will not be physically resilient enough to endure prolonged imprisonment. Reverend Buck was reportedly hospitalized just a few weeks ago because of his fragile physical condition.

In view of Reverend Buck’s legitimate and compassionate activities, and in consideration of his age and poor health, I urge the Chinese authorities to release him. If an investigation shows that he is guilty of any criminal offense, then formal charges should be brought against him and he should be accorded a fair trial in full compliance with international standards. While Reverend Buck remains in detention, I encourage you to ensure his health and safety by providing him with immediate and adequate medical care.

I hope you will be able to respond positively to this humanitarian appeal.

Sincerely,

cc:
Minister of Justice Zhang Fusen Buzhang
Ministry of Justice
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Chaoyangqu
Beijingshi 100020, PRC
Fax: +86 10 65292345
E-mail: minister@legalinfo.gov.cn

H.E. Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW,
Washington, D.C. 20008
Fax: (202) 745-7473