Tiananmen Protesters didn't Try to Overthrow Government, It Rules

International Herald Tribune, Saturday Sunday, May 31 June 1, 1997, first page

Compiled by Our Staff from Dispatches

BEIJING. A Chinese court has thrown out convictions against four dissidents for their roles in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The ruling marked the first time that the authorities have declared that a case against Tiananmen Square demonstrators was incorrect and reduced their senteces, a human rights group said. The four had been convicted of organizing anti goverment group. Whit the eight anniversary of the June 4 crackdown only days aaway, one of the four dissident said Friday that high court in Jilin Province had thrown out their convictions for organizing a "counterrevolutionary clique" during the 1989 demonstrations. Leng Wanbao, who has been on medical parole from prison since 1994, said the court had delivered the legal papers to his home in the provincial capital, Changchunm on Thursday.

Diplomats in Beijing were puzzled by the overturning of the verdicts. They said it did not appear to be aimed at the international community because the dissidents were not well known. On the other hand, the ruling caame at a time of high security in China as Beijing braces for the June 4 anniversary and prepares for the return of Hong Kong on July 1. The government is also watching the Clinton administration as it battles in Congress to renew China's most favored nation trading status, an issue that some are trying to link to Beijing's human rights record. But there was no explicit link by the Chinese to any of these issues.

"The only conclusion that we can draw is that this is an internal move tied up to high level changes since the death of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping in February, " an Asiaan diplomat said. A Western diplomat who specializes in human right said: " It is clear that there is a period of intense internal change in China. But it is too early yet to say is a full reassessment or rehabilitation of the 1989 incident will surface." Mr. Leng said the court had told him that it was throwing out the charge because it had not been proved that the dissidents were trying to overthrow the government.

Two of the other dissidents, Tang Yuanjuann and Li Wei, will be released June 9, Mr. Leng saidhongming, is already free after two years in prison. Last month, Mr. Leng sent an appeal to Qiao Shi, head of the national legislature, asking him that the government reassess its condemnation of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest movement. Mr. Leng asked for the release of all semonstrators jailed afetr the military crushed hte protests in Beijing and othe cities on June 3 and 4, 1989, and urged the rehabilitation of Zhao Ziyang, the Communist Party leader who was ousted for sympathizing with the protesters. The information Center of Human Rights and Democratic Movement in China, based in Hong Kong, said the ruling was the first time the authorities have declared that a case against 1989 demonstrators was faulty and then shortened their sentences.

Three of the four dissidents also had been convicted and sentenced for " carrying out counterrevolutionary propaganda and incitement." In throwing out the charge of organizing an anti government group, the court reduced Mr. Tang's sentences from 20 years to 8 years, Mr. Li Wei's from 13 to 8 and Mr. Leng from 8 to 5. The ruling also concluded that Li Zhongming, who served two years in prison and who had not been charged with spreading propaganda, was not guilty, Mr. Leng said. "What's most important is that Tang and Li will be released," Mr. Leng said. Both are in poor health because of prison conditions, he added. (AFP, AP)