US, UN demand proof of missing Chinese tennis star’s wellbeing | Women’s Rights News

The United Nations and the United States asked for proof of Peng Shuai’s whereabouts on Friday amid growing concerns for the Chinese tennis star’s well-being.

The player has not been seen in public since her allegation on November 2 that she was sexually assaulted by China’s former vice premier.

Tennis stars, sports organizations, governments and human rights defenders have all spoken out in favor of the 35-year-old, who said in a now-deleted Weibo post that Zhang Gaoli forced her to have sex.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden’s administration wanted China to provide “independent, verifiable evidence” of Peng’s whereabouts and expressed “deep concern” about the former world number one in doubles.

The United Nations has insisted on a completely transparent investigation into Peng’s claims.

“It would be important to have proof of their whereabouts and well-being,” Liz Throssell, a spokeswoman for the UN human rights office, told reporters in Geneva. “We are calling for an investigation into your allegations of sexual assault with full transparency.”

Tennis players such as Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic, the world’s best men’s player, have also expressed their support for the Chinese athlete.

“That is shocking. I mean, one person is missing, ”said Djokovic at the ATP finals in Turin, Italy. “The entire tennis community needs to support you and your family and make sure they are safe and healthy.”

Djokovic also backed the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) statement that it was ready to cut off lucrative business relationships with China over Pengs.

“If you have tournaments on Chinese soil without resolving this situation, it would be a bit strange, so I understand why the WTA is adopting such an attitude,” said Djokovic.

The former Wimbledon and French Open double-winner claimed Zhang, who retired in 2018, “forced” her to have sex during a long-term on-off relationship.

China has largely remained silent about the tennis star and on Friday the State Department stuck to its line that it was unaware of the controversy surrounding the player.

Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters that the matter was “not a diplomatic issue and I am unaware of the situation.”

‘Zero tolerance’

Peng’s post was quickly deleted from her verified account on Weibo, China’s popular social media platform, although screenshots of the allegation were widespread. Discussion of the case has since been suppressed, and state broadcaster CGTN shared an email allegedly from Peng to WTA chief Steve Simon this week stating that she was “resting” at home and the allegation of the attack “not true.” ” may be.

Simon has questioned the authenticity of the email, saying on Friday that the WTA is at a “crossroads” with China and is continuing efforts to reach and speak to Peng directly.

Even high-profile politicians, business people and entertainers have suddenly disappeared from view after a dispute with the authorities. Actress Fan Bingbing disappeared shortly after appearing at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 [File: Arthur Mola/Invision via AP Photo]

Peng, who represented China at the Olympics in Beijing, London and Rio de Janeiro, is not the first high-profile Chinese citizen to suddenly disappear from the public eye under unclear circumstances.

Jack Ma, the founder of the world’s largest e-commerce company, Alibaba, went missing in October 2020 after giving a speech criticizing state regulators. Shortly thereafter, a major stake sale in Ant Group, the group’s online payments division, was withdrawn at the last minute by the authorities. Ma reappeared in a video in January this year, but made no mention of his disappearance.

Fan Bingbing, a Hollywood actress who was a prolific social media user, went missing for three months in 2018. She was later found to be under house arrest while she was being investigated for tax evasion.

Peng’s claims first put the #MeToo movement into the top ranks of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.

“The Chinese government has systematically silenced the country’s #MeToo movement,” said Amnesty International China researcher Doriane Lau.

“Given that there is also a zero-tolerance approach to criticism, it is deeply worrying that Peng Shuai appears to be missing,” she said.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/20/us-un-demand-proof-of-missing-chinese-tennis-stars-well-being