March 24, 2005

His Excellency, Mei Ping, Ambassador
The Embassy of the People's Republic of China
515 St.Patrick Street
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada, KIN 5H3

Excellency,

I am writing on behalf of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), a non-profit, non-governmental organization that works to promote and protect press freedom and freedom of expression around the world.

CJFE wishes to express our concern over the Chinese government's scheduled sentencing of journalist Shi Tao on March 25, 2005. Shi who was found guilty in a secret trial, March 11, 2005, for "illegally divulging state secrets abroad," faces anywhere from 10 years to life imprisonment. In addition, Shi's attorney, Guo Guoting, had his Law license suspended March 1, 2005, by the government, on allegations of posting anti-communist party articles online.

Shi, a 36 year-old freelance journalist, who had worked for Dangdai Shag Bao, a contemporary business newspaper in Changsha, was charged for posting an internal memo sent to his paper by the authorities online. The memo, concerned the approaching 15-year anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, and warned journalists of dangers associated with social destabilization and the risk involved in the return of certain protests on the anniversary.

CJFE calls on the Chinese government to drop all charges and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Shi Tao. The detainment and charging of Shi for the peaceful expression of his opinions is in contradiction to Article 19 of the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights.

We request your Embassy convey our concerns to the Government of the People's Republic of China.

I look forward to receiving your prompt reply.

Yours truly,

Arnold Amber
President
Case File Number: PL05-01

C.C.: Mr. Joseph Caron, Canadian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China
The Honourable Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Government of Canada