For Immediate Release                                       Contact: Amanda Molk, 202-225-5256

May 6, 2004

                                                                                                                                                          

House Passes Napolitano Resolution on La Puente Resident’s Father Detained in China

The House of Representatives today passed Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano’s (D-CA38) H.Con.Res. 326, a resolution urging the immediate release of Dr. Wang Bingzhang, a current victim of arbitrary detention by the People’s Republic of China.  “Dr. Wang’s daughter is one of my constituents.  When she first made me aware of this case, I was eager to help in any way I could.  My staff and I have placed numerous calls to the U.S. State Department urging them to intercede in this matter on Dr. Wang’s behalf,” commented Napolitano.

In June of 2002, Dr. Wang was kidnapped from Vietnam, beaten and brought into China by armed assailants.  Dr. Wang was taken by the Chinese Authorities and held in solitary confinement for six months, during which time the government denied any knowledge of his whereabouts.  In December 2002, the Chinese government reversed itself and acknowledged he had been in custody.  Dr. Wang was then issued a life sentence after a closed half day trial.  He had been denied adequate time to prepare his defense, a trial before an independent and impartial tribunal, the right to call witnesses on his own behalf, or to cross-examine witnesses testifying against him.  To date, the Chinese government has refused to release any evidence to substantiate Dr. Wang’s alleged crimes. 

Dr. Wang is currently being held in Shaoguan prison in Guangdong Province. His family has not received any communication from him since last January 12. No one, including family members and Red Cross workers, has been permitted to visit him since January.  Prison authorities continue to deny Dr. Wang access to Western medicine for his serious health issues, which include gastritis and phlebitis.  “This treatment is deplorable.  We cannot sit idly by and allow the Chinese government to treat people in this manner,” noted the Congresswoman.

In July 2002, The United Nations Arbitrary Working Group declared his arrest and imprisonment to be in violation of Articles 9, 10 and 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international law.  In addition, the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, chaired by Rep. Jim Leach, recommended that Congress and the President increase diplomatic efforts for the release of detainees, like Dr. Wang, in its 2003 Annual Report, released October 2, 2003.  “I agree with Rep. Leach. Congress must act, and passage of my resolution is an important first step.  We must not allow Dr. Wang to suffer unjustly, spending the rest of his life in a 4 x 4 x 4 foot cell,” stated Napolitano.

“I want to thank the 18 Members who cosponsored this bipartisan resolution and all of the Members who voted in support of its passage.  I will continue to work on this critical issue, and I look forward to Dr. Wang’s release and return to his family,” concluded Napolitano.