From: hq@ifcss.org 11/21/95 (Released to CND on December 1, 1995)

Subject: HQ NR #7056

Statement on Chinese Government's Prosecution Against Wei Jingsheng

The Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars in the US (IFCSS) was shocked to learn that the Chinese government had formally charged Wei Jingsheng, a well-known dissident who had been held without charge for twenty months, with the capital crime of "conspiring to overthrow the government." The IFCSS expresses strong indignation over Chinese government's escalation of persecu- tion against peaceful dissidents, and appeals to all the govern- ments, institutions, and individuals of the world who respect free- dom, democracy and human dignity, to condemn this pervert act of human rights violation by the Chinese government. The IFCSS demands immediate release of Wei Jingsheng and withdrawal of all the false charges against him.

Wei Jingsheng was released in September, 1993, after being jailed for fourteen years for advocating for political democratiza- tion in China. Fourteen years and six months' solitary confinement in prison under extremely adverse conditions did not reduce Mr. Wei Jingsheng's determination in carrying on his pursuit for human rights and democracy in China. After his release, Wei Jingsheng continued to advocate for democracy and to criticize the Chinese government for its autocracy and human rights violations. He also participated in the effort to provide assistance to the victims of the "June 4th Massacre" and their family members. Despite constant harassment, obstruction and threat by the government and the police, Wei Jingsheng consistently followed the principle of peace, reason, and nonviolence in his uncompromising opposition to the largest remaining totalitarian system in the world, in his effort to pro- mote democratization and human rights protection in China. His activities were perfectly legal and

should be protected by freedom of speech as clearly stated in China's constitution. However, the police arrested him secretly nearly twenty months ago and held him in detention since then without ever letting the world know his whereabouts.

The IFCSS believes that the Chinese government's formal charge against Wei Jingsheng after detaining him for twenty months was partly due to its nervousness over the imminent "post-Deng era" democratization movements, its panic over the increase of Wei's world-wide influence through his nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize of 1995, the policy of appeasement adopted by the western countries driven by interests, and the internal struggle within the communist party during the current period of power shift.

The leaders of the Chinese Communist Party should understand that the worldwide trend for democratization in the 20th century is the choice of the entire civilized mankind. Any single political party or ruling clique will not be able to stop this general trend. While gaining material abundance, the Chinese people will not give up their desire for their basic rights, dignity and freedom; nei- ther will they give up their choice for government, social system, and their way of life. Wei Jingsheng and the democratic force and belief he represents are deeply rooted in the heart of the Chinese people. It is only the totalitarianism, tyranny and brutality carried out by the current Chinese government that are suppressing the people's desire and depriving them of their right to make their own choice.

At the moment when China is moving into the new century, the IFCSS appeals to the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party to look forward and be realistic, follow the world-wide trend of democratization, respect freedom of speech as stated in the China's constitution, and immediately release Wei Jingsheng and all prisoners of conscience, in order to start the process of political democratization in China.