UN bans China group after accusation of spying on Montreal woman at UN

OTTAWA – The United Nations has stripped the credentials of man representing a Chinese organization after he was accused of spying on a Montreal woman whose father is a political prisoner in China.

The incident occurred within the chamber of the UN Human Rights Council, one day after Ti-Anna Wang, 24, of Montreal made an impassioned plea the for the freedom of her father, Dr. Wang Bingzhang, who was given a life sentence in 2002 after trying to foster democracy in China.

On Wednesday, the day after Wang’s address, a man representing a Chinese non-governmental organization starting taking close-up pictures of her and her computer screen while seated behind her.

The man was questioned by UN security staff, who asked that the images he took be deleted from his camera.

Council spokesman Rolando Gomez tells The Canadian Press says that such incidents amount to harassment.

Gomez says the council has also raised the matter with the Chinese delegation, after a complaint that the man was acting in concert with others.