UNITED STATES: UNITED STATES CONDEMNS CHINA'S CONVICTION OF DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG
Record ID:
337652
UNITED STATES: UNITED STATES CONDEMNS CHINA'S CONVICTION OF DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG
- Title: UNITED STATES: UNITED STATES CONDEMNS CHINA'S CONVICTION OF DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG
- Date: 13th December 1995
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (DECEMBER 13, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV UNITED STATES (U.S.) ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS JOHN SHATTUCK BRIEFING REPORTERS AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB 0.14 2. SCU SHATTUCK SPEAKING ABOUT CHINA'S TREATMENT OF DISSIDENT WEI JINGSHENG, CONDEMNING CHINA FOR WEI'S CONVICTION (ENGLISH) 1.41 3. SV REPRESENTATIVE NANCY PELOSI DEMOCRAT OF CALIFORNIA SAYING CHINA'S LATEST ACTIONS EXPOSE TERRIBLE FLAWS IN THEIR GOVERNMENT (ENGLISH) 2.22 4. SCU REPRESENTATIVE CHRISTOPHER SMITH (REPUBLICAN OF NEW JERSEY) SAYING CHINA'S IMAGE WILL SUFFER DEARLY IF WEI JINGSHENG IS NOT RELEASED IMMEDIATELY (ENGLISH) 2.58 7. WEI'S SISTER WEI SHANSHAN ADDRESSING REPORTERS (MANDARIN) 3.54 SEQUENCE 2 TRANSCRIPT: SHATTUCK "THE UNITED STATES CONDEMNS THE DECISION OF THE BEIJING NUMBER ONE PEOPLES INTERMEDIATE COURT TO CONVICT WEI JINGSHENG OF CONSPIRING TO SUBVERT THE GOVERNMENT AND TO SENTENCE WITH 14 YEARS IN PRISON. THE CHINESE JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES HAVE YET TO SPECIFY IN PUBLIC WHICH SECTIONS OF CHINA'S CRIMINAL LAW OR OTHER LAWS WERE VIOLATED BY MR. WEI. THE VAGUENESS OF A FORMAL CHARGE CAUSES THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO CONCLUDE THAT MR. WEI WAS CONVICTED FOR EXERCISING RIGHTS OF PEACEFUL FREEDOM OF SPEECH PROTECTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COVENANTS AND THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH CHINA PROFESSES TO RECOGNISE. WE ALSO DEPLORE THE DECISION OF JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES TO EXCLUDE FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC OBSERVERS AND MEMBERS OF THE NEWS MEDIA FROM THE TRIAL DESPITE EARLIER INDICATIONS THAT THE TRIAL WOULD BE OPEN. WITH THIS DECISION AGAINST WEI JINGSHENG THE CHINESE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AHS SUFFERED A SERIOUS BLOW TO ITS PRESTIGE AND LOST CONSIDERABLE STANDING IN INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION. WE URGE THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES TO SHOW CLEMENCY TO THIS COURAGEOUS MAN WHOSE CHAMPIONING OF DEMOCRATIC VALUES HAS GAINED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION." SEQUENCE 3 TRANSCRIPT: PELOSI "ONCE AGAIN CHINA'S ACTIONS EXPOSE TO THE WORLD VIEW THE FLAWS IN CHINA'S JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND THE ALARMING PATTERN OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY CHINA'S AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT." SEQUENCE 4 TRANSCRIPT: SMITH "THE CHINESE IMAGE IS GOING TO SUFFER DEARLY AND IS GOING TO BE TARNISHED PERHAPS EVEN BEYOND FIXING IF WEI JINGSHENG IS NOT RELEASED AND IS NOT RELEASED IMMEDIATELY. THIS ISSUE WILL NOT GO AWAY." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 28th December 1995 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA6718CWH5QDZQDHO46NNGJNXDI
- Story Text: The United States (U.S.) condemned China's conviction on Wednesday (December 13) of dissident Wei Jingsheng and urged Beijing authorities to show him clemency.
"The United States condemns the decision to convict Wei Jingsheng," John Shattuck, assistant secretary of state for human rights, said in a statement read out at a news conference.
A bipartisan U.S. congressional group also denounced the sentence.
"China's image is going to suffer dearly if Wei is not released immediately," Representative Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, told a news conference. "This issue will not go away." Smith said Congress would link China's human rights record with trade unless Wei and other dissidents were released.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 409-0 in favour of a resolution urging China to free Wei.
Wei's sister, Wei Shanshan, called on the United States to help free her brother from the 14-year prison sentence imposed by China.
"Today he has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. What will the United States do for my brother?" Wei Shanshan said at a news conference with congressional leaders.
She said she feared he might not survive his sentence because he has serious heart problems and high blood pressure.
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