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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

NEWS SERVICE 184/95

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News Service 184/95

AI INDEX: ASA 17/73/95 27 SEPTEMBER 1995

CHINA: CHINESE OFFICIAL FACES IMMINENT EXECUTION AFTER UNFAIR

TRIAL

The Chinese authorities should immediately stop the execution of

Wang Jianye, a 42-year-old local government official charged with

alleged economic offences, Amnesty International said today.

"This is yet another example of how the death penalty is

increasingly being used as a tool to combat economic crime and

corruption," the organization said. "All possible steps should be

taken by the international community to ensure Wang Jianye does

not die."

Wang Jianye, a former director of the Finance and Trade

Division of the Shenzhen Municipal Planning Bureau in Guangdong

province, southern China, is facing imminent execution. His case

is currently being reviewed by the Supreme People's Court, the

last court of appeal.

The death sentence was passed on Wang Jianye after a trial

at the Shenzhen Intermediate Court which lasted less than 10

hours. His wife, who attended the hearing, said that her

husband's lawyer had no opportunity during the trial to present

arguments for Wang's defence. No witnesses were summoned to give

evidence and defence lawyers had only 10 days to examine 10

volumes of accusations compiled by the prosecution during an 18-

month investigation. Wang Jianye has been held incommunicado

since the rejection of his first appeal on 31 July 1995.

In a letter to Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng, Amnesty

International's Secretary-General, Pierre Sane', urged him to

"look into Wang Jianye's case so as to ensure that the death

sentence passed on him be commuted without delay and that his

case be reviewed through new fair trial proceedings, in

accordance with international standards."

Wang Jianye's wife, who has been allowed two supervised 30-

minute meetings with her husband since his detention, is adamant

that he has always denied the accusations against him and

believes that he is being made a scapegoat in an anti-corruption

campaign which was launched shortly before his detention.

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