AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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Letter of Appeal from the AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility

16 December 2002


Wang Chongxun Juzhang
Director of the Beijing Municipal Justice Bureau
Beijingshi Sifaju
199 Haihutuncun
Yongdingmenwai
Beijingshi 100075
People's Republic of China


Dear Mr. Director:

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the largest organization of natural and social scientists in the United States and the world's largest federation of scientific organizations, with 131,000 individual members and 272 affiliated groups. AAAS publishes the preeminent scientific journal Science. The Association seeks to advance science and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people. Our AAAS Committee on Scientific Freedom and Responsibility was formed in 1976 to protect the human rights of scientists, engineers, and health professionals and to deal with issues relating to scientific freedom worldwide.

On behalf of the Committee, I am writing with concern about report that on 7 November 2002, police arrested Liu Di from the campus of Beijing Normal University where she is a psychology student. It is my understanding that she has been detained for posting opinion pieces critical of the Chinese government on an Internet site.

According to reports, Liu Di's family has not been informed of where their daughter is being held or the precise charges she faces. I respectfully request that Liu Di be granted immediate access to her family and her lawyer and that charges against her be clarified. I also request that the government take all steps to ensure that Liu Di's safety be assured while she is in detention.

I am very concerned about this arrest as it appears that Liu Di has been detained solely for peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression. I urge the government to take immediate steps to ensure that all Chinese citizens are able to freely use the Internet, as such use is protected under international human right standards, which provide for freedom "to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." (Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.


Sincerely,

Carole Nagengast, Ph.D., Chair
Committee on Scientific Freedom
and Responsibility

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