Wei Jingsheng, China's most prominent dissident, has been repeatedly beaten by his fellow prison inmates. The instigator of the last incident has been granted a sentence reduction as a reward.

The most recent beating, Wei told his brodw and sisw during their lost visit on June 19, 1997, occurred when an argument broke out as one of the six common criminals who keep watch on him 24 hours a day claimed that Wei had to ask him permission before using a tool. When Wei refused the man started beating Wei and was soon joined by the five, others, who threw Wei down on the ground and they kicked and pummeled him.

The next day, the prisoner who initiated the beating was publicly commanded and awarded a sentence reduction and Wei Jingsheng was accused of having violated prison regulations. His electricity was cut off as a punishment. Contrary to Chine's denials, beatings and other forms of torture committed by inmates against other inmates at the instigation of officials constitute a common practice in Chinese prisons and labor camps.

Human Rights in China is extremely concerned at reports that Wei Jingsheng's health is further deteriorating as a consequence of the beatings. He suffers from a heart condition, severe high blood pressure and arthritis, and is no longer able to hold his head erect because of damage to his cervical vertebra. However prison officials have constantly denied him appropriate medical care.

Wei Jingsheng, 46, was sentenced in December 1995 to fourteen years' imprisonment and three years' deprivation of political rights for "conspiring to subvert the government." His trial was open only to selected observers and his lawyers only bad a few days to prepare their defense. Wei was "disappeared" on April 1, 1994. He is currently in Jile No. I Prison in Tangshan, Hebei Province, where he spent the last four years of his first 15-year sentence following his active involvement in the 1979 Democracy Wall movement. Wei Jingsheng was nominated for the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.

Human Rights in China urges you to send appeals to Chinese officials and to your own government in order to express your concern about Wei Jingsheng's health and prison conditions and to request his immediate and unconditional release. Appeals can be sent to:

President Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Penig, Guowuyan, 9 Xinhuangchenggenbejie, Beijing1000032, P.R. China - Minister of Justice Xiao Yang, Sifabu, Xiaguangli, Beijing 100016,P.R. China.