WEN Jiabao Guojia Zonglifi

The State Council General Office

2 Fuyoujie

Zichengqu

Beijingshi 100017

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Dear Prime Minister Wen,

I am deeply disappointed that even as the Olympics approach and the world watches, China’s regrettable human rights polices have not changed.

Recent detention, trying and sentencing of human rights activists for their peaceful activities runs counter to promises made by numerous Chinese officials that human rights would improve in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in August.

I am particularly concerned about the case of Hu Jia, who was sentenced in April to three years and six months' imprisonment and one year’s deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of state power” by the Beijing Municipal No. 1 Intermediate People's Court.

Your government appears to have jailed Hu in order to prevent him from

continuing with his peaceful human rights activities, and to silence his public

criticism of China’s human rights record ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

Hu is a prisoner of conscience, jailed solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression. In custody awaiting trial, Hu was denied access to his lawyers and his family. He was also denied medical treatment, including the daily medication he needs to combat Hepatitis B. He was kept under house arrest for months before he was formally detained. Zeng Jinyan and their newborn daughter are still under house arrest, and their telephone line and internet connection have been cut.

I urge you to free Hu Jia immediately and unconditionally, end immediately the harassment of his wife, Zeng Jinyan, and to allow her to contact the outside world as is her fundamental right under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which China has signed, but not respected.

Releasing Hu and improving human rights in China would be a sign of strength, because it would demonstrate that your government no longer fears its own citizens.

Sincerely,