Press Contact:
Shengde Lian (703) 645-9054           Joel Segal, (703) 329-6836

For Immediate Release
Washington Office of
Free China Movement
PO. Box 3328, Falls Church, VA 22043, 703 645-9054, Fax 202 8624302 English; 703 329-6836, fax 703 329-0149

Press Release

Free China Movement Condemns Chinese Government's Arrests Of another three dissidents two hours ago after 5 Chinese Democratic Party Dissidents being arrested yesterday and Demands Their Immediate Release; Calls On President Clinton and United Nations To Intervene On Dissidents Behalf.

Washington DC- July 10, 1998.According to a fax report from Information Center of Human Rights@Democratic Movement in China and confirming phone calls to Free Chian Movement's contacts in mainland China, three more dissidents were arrested around 8:00 PM last night after five members of opposition party in China--Chinese Democratic Party in HangZhou, Zhe Jiang Province were arrested yesterday. Their names are Wang Qiang, Zhu Zhengming and Fang Xiaohuang.  The five who had been arrested yesterday are Wang Youchai, Wang Peijian, Chen Fan, Wang Donghai, Wu Gaoxing.

The Chinese government demonstrate to the world again that they have no intention to improve human rights in China if there is no strong international pressure.

The Free China Movement issued a statement today to the Clinton Administration, and the United Nations calling for their intervention to help the 5 Chinese dissidents of the Chinese Democratic Party who were arrested today because of their participation in establishing an opposition Chinese democratic party during President Clinton's trip to China.

Shengde Lian, executive director of the Free China Movement, a new umbrella coalition of Chinese dissidents said, " What we said about President Clinton's policy of constructive engagement with China was accurate, that the Chinese government will not work with the free world to improve human rights, because they are brutal communist dictatorship who have no respect for freedom, democracy, or human life." He said, " The US must more forcefully speak out for the unconditional release for the these 5 brave young men; President Clinton must step up to the plate and show the world that he is a great moral leader of the free world, a man that cares more about human rights and freedom above any other economic or strategic interests."

Joel Segal, American Director of the Free China Movement said, " This is outrageous, the Chinese government has shown the American people that they do not respect human rights nor the freedom of assembly and free speech; and are no more on the road to democracy and freedom than Nazi Germany was in World War II. President Clinton and the United Nations must intervene immediately and call for the dissidents immediate release!!

Wang Xizhe, the leader of Free China Movement said, "We appeal to US government and president Clinton please reconsider the constructive engagement to Communist China. The facts had proven correct what we said in an open letter to you before your visit to China, that the standard to judge the human rights progress is to watch what the Chinese government is doing not which celebrity dissident had been released. Mr. Wang Youchai was one of the student leaders in 1989 and was jail mate of Lian Shengde And Wang Dan. He is arrested again now. Should we keep silence? Then he will face the same fate another former student leader Guo Haifeng is facing--tortured in labor camp!"
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Dear President Clinton and the United Nations,

As you know the Chinese government just arrested 5 Chinese dissidents who are members of the Chinese Democratic Party. We call on you to immediately contact President Jiang Zemin, the leader of China, and ask that he immediately release the 5 peaceful democracy activists from detention. They have broken no laws, their only crime was to organize a democratic party in China. If the Chinese Government does not receive a formal rebuke from the United States and the United Nations, they will continue to crack down on peaceful Chinese citizens who are only expressing their god given right to practice democracy.

We are respectfully requesting to meet with you on this matter, and feel confident that you will act in a timely and moral matter. Please tell the Chinese government that there will be strong and negative consequences if they do not release the 5 Chinese citizens immediately.

Sincerely,
Shengde Lian  Executive Director of Free China Movement
 

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