Contact: Bob Fu, President, Bob@ChinaAid.org; Mark Shan, News Analyst, 888-889-7757, 267-205-5210 cell; Mark@ChinaAid.org; LA Office: Eddie Romero, 323-521-6777, ChinaAid.LA@gmail.com; all with China Aid Association; www.ChinaAid.org, www.MonitorChina.org

 

BEIJING, July 1, 2012 /Standard Newswire/ --  A group of some of China's most prominent human rights lawyers and activists have set up a "Legal and Citizens Support Group" to push for an investigation into the "suicide" of long-time jailed dissident Christian Li Wangyang (photo).

 

ChinaAid urges all citizens to go to www.liwangyang.org to sign the group's petition. The group's formal statement, as well as the contact information for its spokespersons and all its members is below.

 

"Li Wangyang was imprisoned for nearly 22 years, and suffered appalling torture and abuses which caused him to go blind and lose his hearing. But none of that caused him to change his mind about the need for a democratic future for China," said ChinaAid founder and president Dr. Bob Fu.

 

"All of the available evidence surrounding around Christian democracy activist Li Wangyang's sudden death in his hospital room indicate that the official Chinese claim that he committed suicide is suspicious and full of holes," Fu said. "We applaud the Support Group's courageous effort to urge the Chinese government to investigate the cause of Mr Li's death, to seek justice for his illegally detained family members and to hold accountable whoever abused and tortured Mr Li and orchestrated his death."

 

Ever since the news that Mr. Li Wangyang had "committed suicide" on the morning of June 6, our consciences has had no peace. This leader from the 1989 labor movement was imprisoned for 21 years and tortured on many occasions. Deaf, blind and almost paralyzed, he has suffered greatly for our nation. Now that he has died a mysterious death, we are very pained and angry!

 

The Shaoyang police's pronouncement of "suicide" is riddled with questions: As a Christian, Li Wangyang would not be motivated to commit suicide. The body did not exhibit the usual physiological signs of suicide by hanging, such as "protruding tongue." Besides, the bottoms of his feet were entirely in contact with the floor, and the white cloth with which he hanged himself was tied in an expert's DuPont knot, which is not something that a deaf, blind and almost paralyzed patient could do. Furthermore, since the police have already ruled it a "suicide," then logically speaking, this is not a criminal case, and there is all the more reason for the body to be released to his family so that they can mourn his death and make final arrangements. However, against the backdrop of objections from his family and doubt from all over the world, the Shaoyang police forcibly took control of the body and hurriedly cremated it. Legally speaking, there is great cause to suspect that they destroyed the body to cover up foul play.

 

In the face of strong and sustained protests from the mainland rights defenders, compatriots in Hong Kong and overseas Chinese, the Shaoyang police still have refused to disclose the truth. What makes one even more indignant is that the Shaoyang police illegally restrained Li Wangyang's sister, Li Wangling, and other rights defenders by detaining them or by placing them under house arrest in an attempt to gag the voice of the world--Chinese who uphold humanitarianism and rule of law cannot tolerate such utter disregard for human life, such trampling on the rule of law and such actions that go against the law of heaven.

 

This is a very vicious legal incident and is also a very serious case of trampling on basic humanitarianism, challenging the bottom line of human conscience and undermining universal rules.

 

We must not be silent and we must respond. Otherwise, we would feel have no way to answer to the soul of this brave hero in heaven. And the life and safety of rights defenders in mainland China would be also be seriously compromised and the situation would continue to worsen, such that the life and safety, personal freedoms and dignity of all citizens could be violated at will.

 

We must step up and actively seek a resolution of this incident through the rule of law. We call on people from all walks of life throughout the world to work hand in hand with Li Wangyang's relatives and, through concrete actions and by legal means, find ways to realize humankind's most basic form of justice in this incident.

 

For this reason, we hereby officially establish the Legal and Citizens Support Group to Investigate the Truth behind Mr. Li Wangyang's "Suicide," and we will do the following in an orderly manner:

 

1.       Call on and urge the National People's Congress, Supreme People's Court, Supreme People's Procuratorate, Ministry of Public Security Bureau and Ministry of Justice to form a united investigation group that includes independent rights defenders from mainland China and Hong Kong attorneys who enjoy public credibility to conduct a just, professional and in-depth investigation into the "suicide" of Mr. Li Wangyang.

 

2.       By appealing to and urging people, or through a lawsuit on behalf of Li Wangyang's family, we will investigate the legal liabilities of relevant civil servants who conducted the initial investigation and came up with the findings.

 

3.       By appealing to and urging people, or through a lawsuit on behalf of Li Wangyang's family, we will investigate the legal liabilities of relevant civil servants, healthcare providers and people who illegally cremated the body and who falsified the "suicide" scene and covered up the truth.

 

4.       Call on and urge Hunan police to end the illegal house arrest of Li Wangyang's sister, Li Wangling, her husband, Zhao Baozhu and other relatives of Li Wangyang and end the house arrest, surveillance and other illegal compulsory measures imposed on Zhou Zhirong, Zhang Shanguang, Zhu Chengzhi, Yin Zhian, Huang Lihong, Li Jianjun and other rights defenders implicated in this case.

 

5.       By appealing to and urging people, or through a lawsuit on behalf of Li Wangyang's family, we will demand that the persons liable in this case pay reasonable compensation.

 

All Chinese who have a conscience and passion, please step up and fight together with us! According to your circumstances, please provide your much-needed support and help.

 

Let us work together and support each other and defend our rights in a peaceful and legal manner in accordance with the basics of the rule of law, and let us push forward until the entire incident is finally resolved in a just way.

 

Petition website 

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