[mgj-discuss] FW: Free Yang Jianli!

[Dan Beeton]

From: Jared Genser [mailto:jared_genser at hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 5:01 PM
To: Freedom-Now at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Freedom-Now] Yang Jianli


Dear Supporter of Freedom Now,

Hello! I am writing to update you about one of our current cases and to ask
for your help! Freedom Now is currently representing Yang Jianli. Jianli, a
Tiananmen Square activist in 1989, came to the United States,
earned two Ph.D.s, and then founded the Foundation for China in the 21st
Century. Given his political activism, he was blacklisted by the Chinese who
also refused to renew his passport.

Jianli returned to China this past April on a friend’s passport to view
labor unrest in the northeastern part of China. He was detained when trying
to board an internal flight. Although Freedom Now typically would not take
up an illegal entry case, since his initial detention, Jianli has been held
incommunicado by the Chinese in violation of their own and international
law. His wife and children as well as his extended family have been denied
access to Jianli and are justifiably concerned for his health and safety
while he languishes month after month in prison. He is being denied due
process because he has been an outspoken critic of the Chinese regime.

Since Jianli’s detention on April 26th, 2002, a prominent group of
individuals have expressed deep concern to Chinese officials. These
individuals include:
–7 U.S. Senators (including Jesse Helms, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, and others
confidentially)
–30 U.S. Members of Congress (including Henry Hyde, Tom Lantos, Nancy
Pelosi, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Frank Wolf)
–Former U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson
–Archbishop Desmond Tutu
–President Larry Summers of Harvard University (and 34 members of the
faculty)

This past Monday, Freedom Now submitted a formal petition to the U.N.
Commission on Human Rights’ Working Group on Arbitrary Detention describing
the violations of PRC and international law in the case (attached). Also on
Monday, Congressman Henry Hyde raised the case directly to President Jiang
in Beijing. We are expecting Jianli’s case to be raised by a U.S. delegation
participating in a human rights exchange with the Chinese next week.

Given the attention currently on Jianli’s detention, now is the best time
for you to do something to help. We are asking you to submit the following
letter (or something else you are comfortable with) to Chinese Ambassador to
the United States Yang Jiechi. Your letter, along with many others coming
from across the country, will keep the pressure on the Chinese and will help
ensure Jianli’s case is not forgotten. Feel free, as well, to forward on
these materials to anyone else you think would be willing to help.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. You can
also get further information on Jianli’s web site: www.chinaeweekly.com.

Thanks so much for your help.

With warm regards,

Jared Genser
Freedom Now

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December 12, 2002

The Honorable Yang Jiechi
Chinese Ambassador to the United States
Embassy of the People's Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008

Dear Mr. Ambassador:

I am writing to ask for your assistance in the case of Dr. Yang Jianli, who
was detained on Friday, April 26, 2002, in Kunming, China. As you know, Dr.
Yang is a prominent advocate for democracy and human rights in China who has
testified numerous times on Capitol Hill.

Over the last seven months, in violation of both PRC and international law,
none of Dr. Yang's family members has been allowed to meet with him or has
received written notification of his arrest and place of confinement. These
factors have prevented Dr. Yang's family from obtaining legal counsel for
him.

Dr. Yang's wife and children are American citizens residing in
Massachusetts. His detention is a cause of growing pain and anguish to his
family. We urge your government to assure that Dr. Yang is given a prompt
and fair trial, permitted to meet with his wife and U.S. government
representatives, and allowed to return to the United States to rejoin his
family as soon as possible. This positive humanitarian gesture would be
welcomed by all of us in the United States who care about strengthening the
bilateral relationship between the United States and China.

Thank you for considering my request, and for taking the time to address
this important matter.

With warm regards,


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