Letter follows December 10th press conference at which Dr. Yang Jianli calls the arrest proof that the Chinese government wants to protect its hold on power rather than protect its citizens.
Following the December 10th Press Conference on Capitol Hill, during which Dr. Yang Jianli decried the arrest of Liu Xiaobo by stating that ” The modus operandi of the Chinese government is not to protect its citizens, but to protect its hold on power at the expense of its citizens,” Congressmen Frank Wolf of Virginia, and Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, wrote a strongly worded letter to the U.S. Ambassador to China objecting to the “apparent silence” of the U.S. Embassy following the arrest of Liu Xiaobo. A longtime democracy advocate, Mr.Liu Xiaobo was arrested after the publication of “Charter 08″, a document that articulated the Chinese government’s failure to respect human rights and the rule of law. In the letter, Mr. Wolf and Mr. McGovern pressed Ambassador Randt to demand Mr. Xiaobo’s “immediate and unconditional release”.
Congressmen Wolf and McGovern are Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Both these gentleman are renowned champions of human rights in China and around the world.
With the arrest of Liu Xiaobo and with the other signatories of Charter 08 under tight surveillance, Initiatives for China is working closely with elements inside of China and overseas to coordinate meaningful actions to advance the momentum generated by Charter 08. ” This is a watershed document that must be read by every legislator, NGO, and policy maker so the struggle of the Chinese people for democratic reforms can be fully understood and appreciated”, said Dr. Yang Jianli,
Congressmen Wolf and McGovern are Co-Chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission. Both these gentleman are renowned champions of Human Rights in China and around the world.
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December 16, 2008
Ambassador Clark T. Randt
China
C/O Department of State
Washington DC 20521
Dear Ambassador Randt:
We write today to bring to your attention the recent arrest of Chinese human rights activist Liu Xiaobo.
On December 10, a group of over 300 prominent Chinese citizens marked International Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary Of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by issuing Charter 08. This document is modeled after the anti-Soviet Charter 77 promulgated by Czechoslovakian dissidents in 1977, and calls on the Chinese government to respect human rights and implement democratic reforms.
The Chinese Public Security Bureau (PSB) subsequently responded to this call for freedom by imprisoning several of the most prominent signatories to Charter 08, including Mr. Liu Xiaobo. Since his arrest by the PSB, Mr. Liu’s whereabouts remain unknown. It is our understanding that Mr. Liu has been a guest of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing in the past, and we are distressed by the apparent silence of the Embassy in wake of Liu Xiaobo’ s arrest.
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing must serve as an island of freedom in a sea of repression. It must not be the policy of the United States of America abroad to stand with those dissidents fighting for freedom and democracy when times are good and allow them to fall to the wayside when times are tough.
We ask that you speak out on behalf of Liu Xiaobo and demand his immediate and unconditional release. We further ask that you confirm the whereabouts and well-being of the other Charter 08 dissidents who were imprisoned. We anxiously await word about your progress on these matters.
Sincerely,
Frank R. Wolf James P. McGovern
Member of Congress Member of Congress