1998 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR WEI JINGSHENG AND WANG DAN

Brussels, October 23, 1997. Human Rights in China (HRIC) and Transnational Radical Party (TRP) are launching a worldwide campaign to support the nomination of Chinese dissidents Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan for for the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize.

In 1997, over 1000 members of national assemblies, Nobel laureates and scholars worldwide, including Vaclav Havel, the Dalai Lama and José Ramos-Horta, supported the nomination of Wei Jingsheng, a prisoner of conscience who is considered the father of the Chinese democracy movement. In addition, an international campaign collected thousands of signatures urging the release of Wang Dan, a prominent leader of the 1989 pro-democracy movement. For their ideas, integrity and sacrifices, Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan have become symbols for two generations of peaceful prodemocracy activists in China.

"Awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to these courageous men would mean international recognition of the ongoing struggle for human rights and democracy in China" -- Liu Qing, Chairman of HRIC.

On December 13, 1995, Wei Jingsheng, 47, was sentenced to 14 years in prison and charged with "conspiring to subvert the government." Wei was first arrested in March 1979. In his most famous essay, The Fifth Modernization, Wei argued that modernization was impossible in China without necessary democratic reform. Wang Dan, 28, one of the principal student leaders of the 1989 democracy movement, was sentenced on October 30, 1996, to 11 years' imprisonment for "conspiring to subvert the government". HRIC and TRP call on the Chinese government to immediatelly and unconditionally release Wei Jingsheng, Wang Dan, and all prisoners of consience in China.

"TRP and HRIC appeal on all individuals who qualify to support the nomination of Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan as 1998 Nobel Peace Prize laureates - members of national assemblies and governments, university professors of law, political science, history and philosophy - to take an active part in this campaign" - Olivier Dupuis, Secretary General of TRP.

Human Rights in China

HRIC is an independent non-governmental organization founded by Chinese scientists ans scholars in March 1989. HRIC monitors the implementation of international human rights standards in the PRC and carries human rights advocacy among Chinese people inside and outside the country. HRIC's objectives are to facilitate the development of a grassroot human rights movement in China and to promote international scrutiny of China's human rights situation.

Transnational Radical Party

TRP, a non-governmental organization with consultative status (category 1) with the Ecosoc of the United Nations, is a nonviolent organization which promotes international political campaigns, including the creation of an international criminal court and the abolition of death penalty.

For more information:

Brussels, Olivier Dupuis

New York, Xiao Qiang

http://www.igc.apc.org/hric

http://www.agora.stm.it/pr/wei_wang/wei_wang.htm