A petition calling on the UN to intervene in China's human rights issues and urging the immediate release of several dissidents has been submitted by a group of 106 mainland political activists.
The activists from 25 provinces and cities sent the letter to the UN Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday to protest against what they said were violations of human rights in Beijing's drive to curb dissent.
Beijing activist Ren Wanding said the letter was sent ahead of the commission's meeting in Geneva next month.
'The mainland has never sent the UN any letter concerning [human rights],' the veteran pro-democracy activist said.
In the letter, the activists wrote that China's human rights situation was deteriorating amid a drive launched by mainland authorities in the second half of last year to illegally arrest dissidents.
Not only were these dissidents repeatedly arrested, detained and put under house arrest, some were reportedly brutally attacked, the letter said.