I am also concerned over reports that he has been denied access to medical care since his arrest. I am also concerned that he was given an extremely harsh increase of 6 years in his sentence for keeping a list of prisoners in Drapchi prison and was held in an iron cell for 3 months after the list was found. If Ngawang Pekar has been imprisoned solely for the peaceful expression of his conscience, I ask that he be immediately and unconditionally released in accordance with the international laws to which China subscribes. If he is not released, I ask that the extension of his sentence be reduced. This is the second in a series of actions related to conditions AI monitors have found at the INS prison on Terminal Island in the Los Angeles Harbor, which we feel affect the ability of asylum seekers to file or pursue their claims.
Improper documentation includes both lack of documents and possession of false documents.
In spite of the law requiring detention at the time of entry, INS district directors have fairly wide discretion to parole. Parole of an asylum seeker who has a compelling and credible fear of persecution is possible under either of the latter two categories. In spite of this, Amnesty International monitors have seen many cases of persons denied parole who had compelling cases. If the district director feels there is some risk of flight on the part of the asylum seeker he may require a bail bond before granting parole. In 1996 Amnesty monitors unsuccessfully petitioned the district director to parole a female asylum seeker from China for one afternoon in order to see a physician for diagnostic testing.