Press Contact: Shengde Lian 703 645-9054, Joel Segal 703 329-6836
Free China Movement
PO. Box 3328, Falls Church, VA 22043, 703 645-9054, Fax 703 645-9051
English; 703 329-6836, fax 703 329-0149
 

Press Advisory

Free China Movement, A Coalition of Over 30 Chinese Opposition Dissident Organizations And Former Political Prisoners Announce Class Action Lawsuit Against Adidas America, Inc. & The Chinese Government For Using Chinese Forced Labor To Make Soccer Balls For Adidas
 
Washington DC- July 2, 1998. A Press Conference will be held at the Law Offices of Hemenway and Associates to announce a class action lawsuit against Adidas America, Inc. and the Chinese government. The lawsuit, the first of its kind, is being brought by current and former political prisoners in China who have suffered through the system of re-education through coerced labor which was exposed by  Chinese dissident Harry Wu years ago. Mr. Bao Ge, a former political prisoner sentenced to a Chinese forced labor camp for his activities as a member of the human rights organization "Voice Of Human Rights" in China, will present direct evidence that he witnessed and helped produce soccer balls for Adidas.

Shengde Lian, executive director of the newly created Free China Movement, a Chinese Dissident opposition coalition of more than 30 organizations inside and outside of China, will also announce that members of the class action law suit will call on Adidas to immediately cease and desist all operations of their manufacturing operations in China that uses forced labor in the production of their products. Shengde Lian, will call for a meeting with Adidas executives in order to discuss the impending litigation. Free China Movement leaders will call on Americans to boycott Adidas products if the multi-national corporation does not investigate the allegations, and continues to use Chinese forced labor to make their products.

Where: Hemenway & Associates 1150 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 900,
    Washington DC 20036.

When:  July 2, 1998, 10:00 am, (Hemenway & Associates; 202 822-9487)