Press Contact: Shengde Lian 703 645-9054, Joel Segal 703 329-6836
Free China Movement
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For Immediate Release

100 Chinese Dissidents In China Write Open Letter To President Jiang Zemin Calling For Release Of Recently Arrested Chinese Dissidents; American Organizations Join Effort

Washington DC- July 15,1998. The Free China Movement, a coalition of over 30 Chinese dissident organizations inside and outside of China, and the Hong Kong Information Center reported that 100 Chinese dissidents have written an open letter to President Jian Zemin and Premier Li Peng calling for the release of all members of the Chinese Democratic Party after Mr. Lin Hui, another funding member of CDP, was arrested a couple of hours ago along with 11 dissidents, who have been arrested for organizing a democratic opposition party in China in he last couple of days.

Shengde Lian, executive director of the Free China Movement, said today, "We are in close contact with the 100 dissidents, and they have requested that the American and international community place intense "moral pressure" on the Chinese government, and call for the immediate release of these dedicated and peaceful activists who only want what the Free World already has- freedom and democracy. We are currently working with Freedom House and other American human rights organizations, members of Congress and their staff, in order to have an emergency meeting with influential members of Congress in order to get their help on this urgent matter. The Free China Movement hopes that Congress will pass a resolution condemning the continued arrests of dissidents by the Chinese government since Clinton left China.

Nina Shea, director of Freedom House, said, "Freedom House believes that it is crucial for constructive relations between the Chinese government and the American government as we approach the 21st century, that the Chinese government respects human rights and religious freedom in China. The majority of the American people stand in solidarity with the peaceful and democratic movements in China.
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