104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 117
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas Wei Jingsheng is a writer, political philosopher, and
human rights advocate who is widely known and re-
spected in China and throughout the world;
Whereas on November 21, 1995, the Government of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China announced the arrest of Wei
Jingsheng and its intention to try him for ‘‘attempt[ing]
to overthrow the government’’;
•HCON 117 EH
Whereas prior to this announcement Wei had been detained
since April 1994 without formal charges or the oppor-
tunity to communicate with his family or with legal coun-
sel, in violation of Article 9 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights and other international standards pro-
hibiting arbitrary arrest and detention;
Whereas the government had previously imprisoned Wei from
1979 
until 
1993 
on 
a 
charge 
of 
‘‘spreading
counterrevolutionary propaganda’’ for his peaceful par-
ticipation in the Democracy Wall movement;
Whereas Wei’s analysis of democracy in 1979 as a necessary
‘‘fifth modernization’’ was an important theoretical and
practical contribution to the movement for freedom and
democracy in China and also to modern political philoso-
phy;
Whereas during his long imprisonment Wei was subjected to
beatings and other severe ill treatment which left him in
extremely poor health;
Whereas after his release in 1993 Wei devoted his time to hu-
manitarian activities, including visiting and assisting the
families of victims of the June 4, 1989, massacre at
Tiananmen Square, as well as the surviving victims them-
selves, and assisting the civilian effort to secure com-
pensation for damages caused to the Chinese people by
the Japanese Government during World War II;
Whereas, far from advocating an ‘‘overthrow’’ of the Govern-
ment of China, Wei has been a strong advocate of non-
violence and a peaceful transition to democracy;
Whereas Wei was regarded as a leading candidate for the
1995 Nobel Peace Prize, having been nominated by par-
•HCON 117 EH
liamentarians throughout the world, including 58 mem-
bers of the United States Congress;
Whereas Wei was also the recipient of the 1995 Olaf Palme
Foundation Award, the 1994 Robert F. Kennedy Human
Rights Award, and the 1993 Gleitsman Foundation
International Activist Award; and
Whereas because of his great courage, the force of his ideas,
and his long unjust imprisonment Wei has come to em-
body the aspirations of the people of China for democracy
and for the enjoyment of free speech and other universal
and inalienable human rights, and his fate has come to
symbolize their fate: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the United States Congress—
(1) urges the immediate and unconditional re-
lease of Wei Jingsheng;
(2) urges, in the event Wei Jingsheng is not im-
mediately released, that he be afforded all inter-
nationally recognized human rights, including the
right to consult freely with counsel of his choice, to
assist in the preparation of his defense, and to com-
municate with his family, and that his trial be open
to the domestic and foreign press, to diplomatic ob-
servers, and to international human rights monitors;
(3) urges the United States Department of
State to make the release of Wei Jingsheng and the
protection of his internationally recognized human
rights a particularly important objective in relations
•HCON 117 EH
with the Government of China, and that it raise
these issues forcefully and effectively in every rel-
evant bilateral and multilateral forum; and
(4) recognizes that the efforts of Wei Jingsheng
once again merit careful consideration for the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1996.
Passed the House of Representatives December 12,
1995.
Attest:
Clerk.