Aug 31, 9:12 AM EDT

China, U.N. agency sign legal reform pact

By Alexa Olesen
Associated Press Writer

BEIJING (AP) -- The Chinese government signed an agreement with the
U.N. human rights agency on Wednesday to collaborate on reforming
China's legal system in preparation for adopting a key U.N. treaty on
civil and political rights, the United Nations said.

The agreement was signed by a senior Chinese diplomat and visiting
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour. It represented
a step forward in Arbour's effort to persuade Beijing to embrace the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The top U.N. human rights watchdog will assist China in finding
"alternative penalty measures to imprisonment, help the country revise
its Criminal Procedure Law, its lawyers' law, and any other related
laws and regulations," the U.N. statement said.

The U.N. will also help China teach human rights in primary and
secondary schools, universities and in training programs for public
servants, it said.

No target date was given for China's ratification of the international covenant.

Human rights groups accuse China of suppressing independent religious
groups, harassing labor and political activists and enforcing a
birth-control policy that limits most urban couples to one child.

China says it has worked hard to ensure basic human rights by
reforming its economy, which has improved the overall standard of
living of its people.

The U.S. Embassy, meanwhile, expressed concern Wednesday over reports
that Chinese police were harassing political activists during Arbour's
visit.

Hou Wenzhou, founder of the Empowerment and Rights Institute, said
police were stationed outside her home and office Wednesday and had
told her not to meet with anyone for the next several days.

"They were polite and calm but firm," she said by phone. Hou said she
was not under arrest and can go out. But a meeting with Arbour "seems
impossible," she said.

At least two other activists were also under police surveillance, the
international group Reporters Without Borders said.

Liu Di, an Internet writer who was imprisoned in 2002-03, and Liu
Xiaobo, a pro-democracy activist, were being harassed by authorities,
the group said.

The U.S. Embassy, describing Hou's organization as "a U.S.-financed
human rights group in Beijing," said it was concerned about reports of
a raid on Hou's offices and harassment of political activists, but
didn't say which activists.

"If borne out, these reports would represent a clear violation of
internationally accepted human rights norms," an embassy spokeswoman
said on condition of anonymity in accordance with embassy policy.

"We urge the Chinese government to implement its constitutional
guarantees and bring its human rights practices into compliance with
international standards," she said, reading from a statement.

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