CCS Reminds Presidents Obama and Xi Jinping to Release Wang Yu, Li Heping and Ilham Tohti

Xi Jinping 习近平 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Encouraged by China’s recent release of Chen Kegui and Guo Yushan, CCS calls upon both Presidents to facilitate the release of Chinese Human Rights attorneys, Uighur Professor Ilham Tohti and others.

September 28, 2015

President Xi Jinping
The State Council General’s Office
2 Fuyoujie, Xichengqu
Beijingshi 100017
People’s Republic of China

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Presidents Xi Jinping and Barack Obama:

It is with great anticipation that we welcome your discussions about human rights in general and the release of human rights attorneys in China while you meet over the next few days.

The Committee of Concerned Scientists, an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world, has written both of you on various occasions in an effort to bring to your attention cases of individuals who are detained, or serving time, and whose rights have been violated, and need immediate release. As you are together at this time, we are assured that you will be able to agree that each of these individuals receives the justice and immediate release they have so long-awaited.

• Wang Yu, a human rights attorney who defended Ilham Tohti – see below – detained since July;
• Li Heping, a human rights attorney for Chen Guangcheng, a human rights activist – detained in July;
• Ilham Tohti, an Economics professor at Central Minorities University in Beijing, and an advocate for the rights of the Chinese Uighur minority – jailed since January 2014;
• Liu Xiao Obo, a Nobel Peace laureate – serving time
• Liu Xia, Liu’s wife – on house arrest for five years.

We are very grateful and encouraged given that China recently released two other prisoners for whom we had advocated: Chen Kegui (nephew of Chen Guangcheng); and Guo Yushan (a Chinese scholar and human rights advocate).

Thank you for your attention. We look forward to your quick and positive response.

Sincerely,

Joel L. Lebowitz, Paul H. Plotz, Walter Reich,
Eugene M. Chudnovsky, Alexander Greer

Co-Chairs, Committee of Concerned Scientists

Related articles

• China Arrests Two Human Rights Lawyers on Unspecified Charges (concernedscientists.org)
• Ilham Tohti, Arrested in January Now Charged with Separatism (concernedscientists.org)
• Jailed Uyghur Professor’s Family in Beijing Is Harassed by Police, Daughter Testifies (concernedscientists.org)