Subject: HQ NR #7071: Wei Jingsheng Sentenced 14 Years in Prison

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 15 Jan 1980 20:35:48 -0500

*  *  *    N E W S   R E L E A S E   7071   *  *  *
             _________   December 13, 1995   __________

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           Wei Jingsheng Sentenced 14 Years in Prison

The IFCSS Headquarters was informed by Wei Shanshan, Wei Jingsheng's
sister,   who is visiting   Washington. D.C., that Wei Jingsheng was
sentenced to 14 years in prison    by the Beijing First Intermediate 
Court. 

The trial started in the morning on 13th,  and  continued for only 5
hours,   prior to the verdict made by the court of 14 years sentence 
in prison. Wei was given one hour for defense, but he stopped sever-
al times during the defense due to hypertension and bad health cond-
iton.   The points of indictment include illegal collection of fund,
communication with human rights organizations overseas, contact with
foreign leaders and journalists for anti-government activities,  and
support for Tibet independence, etc.  Wei refuted  all the  charges.

According to the source, Wei 's family in Beijing was harassed while
talking with Wei Shanshan.      When parents asked the policeman for 
rights to talk with their daughter,  the policeman responded: "There
is no law today!"
                    ____    ____    ____

A Press conference was convened on Capitol Hill with presence of Wei
Shanshan, Wei Jingsheng's sister,  which was heavily covered by news
media,   and all participatants were shocked by the message that the
vicdict had already come out. Xiao Qiang,  Executive Director of the
Human Rights in China based in New York,   and Xing Zheng, the IFCSS
President attended the conference.    A dozen of US Congress members
gave speeches  while Wei Shanshan  questioned what the international
community could do for her brother.     Congressman Smith cited Deng
Xiaoping, the paramount leader of China, 's sentence in 1986: "Did't
we arrest Wei Jingsheng? We arrested him and haven't let him go, yet 
China's image has not suffered," and asserted that, yes, the senten-
ce  will  definitely  and severely tarnish and damage China's image,
which may not be fixed forever".  All Congress members vowed to urge
the Adminstration to take immediate actions.

                     ____    ____    ____

The bill, sponsored by Smith and nine other Congress members, desig-
nated as H. Con. Res. 117. (posted before in IFCSS NR #67) to conda-
mn Chinese government's trial on Wei Jingsheng,   urge for immediate
release and advocacy for Wei's Nobel Peace Prize 1996, reached   the 
House floor last night, and the vote was conducted after the debates.
The bill was officially adopted at 408 to 0, at 8:30 pm.

                      ____    ____    ____

A rally was held in front of Chinese Ambassy last night,sponsored by
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights, AI and the IFCSS, to pro-
test Chinese government's trial on Wei Jingsheng.   The IFCSS Presi-
dent Xing Zheng expressed to a VOA reporter that,the Chinese govern-
ment proves itself that   it hasn't   changed much in terms of human 
rights in China within the past 16 year. Wei Jingsheng was tried at
the same court, with the same charges both in 1979 and 1995. It is a
shame on Chinese, and it is a shame on China.    Chinese  government 
should bear this in mind that, those who tried Wei Jing-sheng today,   
will and must be tried by history, tomorrow or in near future.

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