Five pictures showing a reunion between prominent ethnic Mongolian political prisoner Hada with his wife and son dated 12-10-2010 have appeared on Boxun News Online.  The pictures were posted anonymously on the afternoon of December 11, 2010, Beijing Time under the title “Inner Mongolian Hada Released and had Family Reunion after 15 Years Imprisonment” with a sentence stating that “pictures from an anonymous reader of Boxun shows that Inner Mongolia’s Hada has already been released after 15 years imprisonment and had a family reunion.” As indicated at the bottom of the post, the anonymous poster modified the post on the same day, December 11, 2010.

The pictures show a much older looking and thinner Hada, sitting on what appears to be an expensive sofa possibly in a hotel room judging from the background wall paper, with his wife Xinna, and their son Uiles, looking happy and relaxed with paper cups in their hands and an array of typical Chinese dishes placed on a table in front of them. The scene suggests that the family reunion was probably arranged by the authorities in a place obviously not their own home. The pictures bear the date “12.10.2010” conveying the message that Hada was indeed released on December 10, 2010 as scheduled.

The Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center (SMHRIC) contacted Mr. Haschuluu, Hada’s uncle who lives in Ulaanhad City where Hada was imprisoned, and Ms Naraa, Xinna’s sister, who has being waiting for Hada’s return at the family’s bookstore warehouse regarding the current status and whereabouts of the family. Shortly after the pictures were placed on Boxun News Online, a CD with the five pictures was delivered to Ms. Naraa by a State Security official.  “Judging from the clothes Xinna and Uiles are wearing, these pictures seem to be pretty recent and authentic” Naraa told SMHRIC, “but the three are still not set free.” Both Haschuluu and Naraa confirmed that no official word has been received from the authorities regarding the family members’ whereabouts and current status. According to Naraa, the family’s Mongolian Studies Bookstore is still sealed shut and Mongolian students and customers have been warned by the authorities not to visit the bookstore. 

Xinna and Uiles have been detained by the Inner Mongolian Public Security authorities in the regional capital Hohhot since December 4 and December 5 after being taken away by police separately. A copy of warrants on the detention of Xinna and Uiles given to Naraa by the Public Security authorities in Hohhot states that Xinna is accused of “running illegal business” and Uiles is accused of “being involved in drug dealing”. No lawyer was made available to defend the members of Hada’s family.