Mongolian journalist and human rights activist Hada, imprisoned since 1995, “has lost weight and his hair has turned white,” according to his son, Weil Lesi, in a letter to relatives abroad. “He shares his cell with eight other prisoners,” the letter says. “Two guards are specially assigned to him. He never sees the light of day. He does not have the right to talk. He does not have the right to read. Last year he subscribed to two newspapers, Nanfang Zhoumo and Cankaoxiaoxi, but they never came. Letters sent to him by relatives are confiscated.”

The letter adds: “The prison food is foul. He is often ill and distrusts the medicine the guards give him. The other inmates are allowed to make purchases and have lunch with their families but Hada has never had the right to do this in 10 years. He told me, ‘It is useless to hope to be treated like the others’.” His son brought him a new mattress to the prison - Chifeng prison No. 4 in Inner Mongolia - but it was confiscated

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