In a letter sent to the DIRB by electronic mail on 20 August 1997, a program officer with Human Rights in China (HRIC) in New York stated that Wang Xizhe and Liu Xiaobo's Double Ten Declaration was issued on 30 September or 1 October 1996. According to the same source, as well as the January 1997 issue of the Index on Censorship, the declaration called upon the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to respect fundamental human rights, such as the freedom of speech, religion, press and association (110). Both sources state that the declaration also called for the impeachment of CCP president Jiang Zemin for violating the Chinese constitution (ibid.).

HRIC states that Liu Xiaobo was given a three-year reeducation through labour sentence and that Wang Xizhe fled to the United States following the dissemination of the declaration (20 Aug. 1997). Amnesty International Report 1997 and Country Reports 1996 also report on Liu Xiaobo's October 1996 detention (1997, 118; 1997, 620). Wang Xizhe's escape to the United States is reported in HRIC's publication China Rights Forum, a 10 March 1996 Hong Kong Standard article and the January 1997 issue of Index on Censorship (Winter 1996, 44; 110). Please consult the attached copy of the HRIC letter and the Index on Censorship article for additional information on the contents of the Double Ten Declaration. For additional information on Wang Xiaobo's escape to the United States, please consult the attached Winter 1996 China Rights Forum article and the 10 March 1997 Hong Kong Standard article.

Wang Xizhe states his views were peaceful in the Double Ten Declaration and criticizes the CCP government for its arrest of Liu Xiaobo in the attached 14 October 1996 Ping Kuo Jih Pao report.

Several reports state that Wang Xizhe was detained for two weeks in June 1996 for violating his parole by leaving Guangzhou without official authorization (AFP 20 June 1996; China Rights Forum Fall 1996, 41; Country Reports 1996 1997, 620). According to China Rights Forum, Country Reports 1995 and News from Asia Watch, Wang, who was released on parole in 1993 after serving 12 years of a 14-year prison sentence, had his parole term extended until 1999, depriving him further of his political rights (Fall 1996, 41; 1996, 577; June 1995, 7). Another China Rights Forum article states that Wang was detained for 15 days in May 1995 following a visit to Beijing to protest his parole conditions (Summer 1995, 31). Please consult the attached Fall 1996 China Rights Forum and 20 June 1996 AFP articles for additional information on Wang's June 1996 detention and extended parole term, and the Summer 1995 China Rights Forum article for additional information on his May 1995 detention.

According to Amnesty International Report 1996, News from Asia Watch and China Rights Forum, Liu Xiaobo was detained following the issuing of his petition calling for democratic reforms entitled "Draw Lessons from Blood" on 19 May 1995 (1996, 118; June 1995, 2; Summer 1995, 31). The Spring 1996 issue of China Rights Forum writes that Liu was released in January 1996 after serving a nine-month detention sentence for his participation in the May 1995 petition (33). Please consult the attached Summer 1995 and Spring 1996 China Rights Forum articles for additional information on Liu's arrest and release.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Hong Kong, in English]. 20 June 1996. "PRC: Dissident Wang Xizhe Protests Against Arbitrary Arrest." (FBIS-CHI-96-120 21 June 1996/WNC)

Amnesty International. 1997. Amnesty International Report 1997. London: Amnesty International.

Amnesty International. 1996. Amnesty International Report 1996. London: Amnesty International.

China Rights Forum [New York]. Winter 1996. "News Update: Escape."

_____. Fall 1996. "News Update: Detentions and Harrassment."

_____. Spring 1996. "News Update: Released."

_____. Summer 1995. "News Update: Arrests."

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1996. 1997. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1995. 1996. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Hong Kong Standard [in English]. 10 March 1997. "Dissident Says PRC Pledge to Improve Rights 'Empty Promise'." (FBIS-CHI-97-068 12 Mar. 1997/WNC)

Human Rights in China (HRIC), New York. 20 August 1997. Letter sent to the DIRB by program officer.

Index on Censorship [London]. January 1997. Vol. 26, No. 1. Liu Xiaobo and Wang Xixhe. "The Nationality Question."

News from Asia Watch [New York]. June 1995. Vol. 7, No. 7. "China: Keeping the Lid on Demands for Change."

Ping Kuo Jih Pao [Hong Kong, in Chinese]. 14 October 1996. "PRC: Dissident Wang Xizhe Statement to Government Noted." (FBIS-CHI-96-200 17 Oct. 1996/WNC)

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP) [Hong Kong, in English]. 20 June 1996. "PRC: Dissident Wang Xizhe Protests Against Arbitrary Arrest." (FBIS-CHI-96-120 21 June 1996/WNC)

China Rights Forum [New York]. Winter 1996. "News Update: Escape," p. 44.

_____. Fall 1996. "News Update: Detentions and Harrassment," p. 41.

_____. Spring 1996. "News Update: Released," p. 33.

_____. Summer 1995. "News Update: Arrests," p. 31.

Hong Kong Standard [in English]. 10 March 1997. "Dissident Says PRC Pledge to Improve Rights 'Empty Promise'." (FBIS-CHI-97-068 12 Mar. 1997/WNC)

Human Rights in China (HRIC), New York. 20 August 1997. Letter sent to the DIRB by program officer.

Index on Censorship [London]. January 1997. Vol. 26, No. 1. Liu Xiaobo and Wang Xixhe. "The Nationality Question," pp. 110-111.

Ping Kuo Jih Pao [Hong Kong, in Chinese]. 14 October 1996. "PRC: Dissident Wang Xizhe Statement to Government Noted." (FBIS-CHI-96-200 17 Oct. 1996/WNC)

Additional Sources Consulted

Amnesty International Report. 1994-1996.
Amnesty International. March 1996.

State Secrets — A Pretext for Repression.

_____. February 1996. Gross Human Rights Violations Continue.
_____. June 1995.

Six Years After Tiananmen: Increased Political Repression and Human Rights Violations.

Electronic sources: DIRB Databases, Lexis/Nexis, Internet, REFWORLD (UNHCR database).

Human Rights Watch World Report. 1996-1997.
Human Rights Watch (HRW). January 1995.

China: Enforced Exile of Dissidents.

_____. October 1994.

Use of Criminal Charges Against Political Dissidents.