AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL KOBE GROUP IN JAPAN PROTESTS THE CHARGE AGAINST WEI JINGSHENG

published by: China News Digest (CND), Tuesday, November 28, 1995

From: Gang Xu, 11/23/95

The following is a translation of a letter sent to Japanese Newspapers:

Press Release from Kobe Group, Amnesty International November 22, 1995

We are shocked to learn that the famous Chinese pro-democracy activist Wei Jingsheng has been re-arrested by Chinese government with the charge of "overthrowing the government".

Hereby, we in Kobe Group, Amnesty International, which has adopted Wei Jingsheng as "Prisoner of Conscience" since his first arrest in 1979, strongly protest against Chinese government, and strongly demand that the Chinese government release Wei Jingsheng immediately and unconditionally.

Wei Jingsheng has always pursued peaceful change of China and was one of the strongest contenders for this year's Nobel Peace Prize. He had been under constant surveliance by police since his release from prison in August, 1993, till being held incommunicado in April, 1994, thus the charge of "overthrowing government" is absurd and false.

We also demand that the Japanese government raise this issue of gross violation of human rights to the Chinese government.