Most special procedures are able to intervene directly with governments through private communications or urgent appeals when they receive allegations of, or information regarding, violations that ffall within their mandates. In such instances, a letter may be sent to the state at the discretion of the mandate holder requesting information and comments. Communications  between a special procedure and a state are strictly confidential. However, a summary of the exchanges is later reported to the Human Rights Council and made public through the Council’s joint communications reports.

In addition to pursuing private communications, special procedures may individually or jointly issue press releases or hold press conferences about grave situations of rights violations.

Below are some of the communications that occurred since 2013 between special procedures and China:

Communication concerning the negative and stigmatizing rhetoric towards refugees, migrants and ethnic minorities in Hong Kong; and envisaged regressive changes to the Unified Screening Mechanism including increased detention powers and accelerated removal of rejected claimants by the Hong-Kong SAR Administration:

• January 3, 2017 letter from mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on migrants; the Special Rapporteur on minority issues; the Special Rapporteur on racism: EN
• March 13, 2017 reply by Chinese government: CH

Communications concerning Tashi Wangchuk:

• February 10, 2017 letter from the mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on cultural rights; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur minority issues; and the Special Rapporteur on torture: EN
• March 22, 2017 reply by the Chinese government (currently being translated)

Communication concerning disappearance of Mr. Jiang Tianyong:

• December 28, 2016 letter from mandate holders the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; the Working Group on arbitrary detention; Working Group enforced disappearances, the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights: EN
• January 20, 2017 reply by the Chinese government (currently being translated)

Communication concerning detention and surveillance of Ms. Nyima Lhamo and Ms. Dolkar Lhamo, women human rights defenders and relatives of late Tenzin Delek:

• December 12, 2016 letter from mandate holders of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; Special Rapporteur on religion or belief: EN
• No reply received from China as of early June 2017

Communication concerning alleged arbitrary arrest and detention of Ms. Li Wenzu, as well as acts of intimidation against her and Ms. Wang Qiaoling:

• October 26, 2016 communication from the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on  human rights defenders; Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers; the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights; and the Special Rapporteur on torture: EN
• December 9, 2016 reply received from China: EN

Communication concerning allegations of the continued arbitrary detention and prolonged solitary confinement of Dr. Wang Bingzhang

• September 27, 2016 letter from the Working Group on arbitrary detention, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; the Special Rapporteur on health, the Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers; and the Special Rapporteur on torture: EN
• No reply received from China as of June 2017

Communication concerning the recent conviction of human rights defenders for charges of subversion of state power:

• September 15, 2016 letter from the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; the Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers; and the Special Rapporteur on torture: EN
• No reply received from China as of June 2017

Communication concerning alleged arbitrary detention and ill-treatment in detention of Yang Maodong (Guo Feixiong):

• August 7, 2015 letter from Working Group on arbitrary detention, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; and the Special Rapporteur on torture: EN
• September 2, 2015 reply received from China: EN & CH

Communication concerning alleged arbitrary detention and conviction of Ms. Gao Yu:

• May 29, 2015 letter from the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders; the Special Rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers; and the Special Rapporteur on torture: EN

• No reply received from China as of June 2017

Communication concerning arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention and disappearance of Mr. Xia Lin, Ms. Su Changlan and Ms. Kou Yanding:

• January 27, 2015 letter received from the Special Rapporteur for human rights defenders and the Working Group on enforced disappearances: EN
• March 31, 2015 reply received from China: EN

Communications concerning Cao Shunli and Chen Jianfang:

• October 1, 2013 letter from the mandates of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders: EN
• January 7, 2014 reply by the Chinese government: EN & CH
• November 14, 2013 letter from the mandates of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: EN
• January 24, 2014 reply by the Chinese government: EN & CH

Communications concerning Wang Gongquan:

• September 18, 2013 letter from the mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders: EN
• December 3, 2013 reply by the Chinese government: EN & CH

Communications concerning Liu Xia:

• December 24, 2013 letter from the mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: EN
• February 21, 2014 reply by the Chinese government: EN & CH

Communications concerning the New Citizens Movement:

• October 22, 2013 letter from the mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders: EN
• January 7, 2014 reply by the Chinese government: EN & CH

Communication concerning Yang Lin, Yang Maodong (Guo Feixiong), Li Huaping, and Liu Jiacai:

• August 22, 2013 letter from the mandates of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders: EN
• The Chinese government had not issued a reply as of mid-2014.