An Urgent Appeal From Shitao's Younger Brother Shi Hua

Translated from a fax copy sent by Shi Hua at 11:40 am, December 5, 2004

My name is Shi Hua, Shi Tao’s younger brother. On behalf of my whole family, I extend my sincere thanks to friends who extend their assistance and support at this difficult time.
On November 24, 2004 afternoon, Shi Tao left home for Taiyuan bus terminal to take the bus for Ningxia, the Capital of Gansu Province to visit to our Mother, and disappeared. On November 25, Officer Zhang, a department head of National Security Bureau in Shanxi Province, invited Shi Tao’s wife Wang Yuan to lunch and informed Wang that Shi Tao was detained by the National Security Bureau in Changsha, Hunan Province on suspicion of leaking state secrets to foreign countries. On November 26, Wang Yuan was noticed that the Bureau will search their apartment with Shanxi’s Officer Shi in Charge and in cooperation with the National Security Bureau of Changsha. During the search, the local police took Shi Tao’s computer, some writings and dozens of personal belongings without showing a search warrant. A list of confiscated things was provided to Wang after the search by the National Security Bureau’s Changsha office. On November 27, Wang Yuan was told that Shi Tao was sent to Changsha and the detention paper was mailed. However, the paper was not received until December 2. On November 28, an executive at Wang’s work place, the Shanxi Economy Daily, spoke with her about Shi Tao’s detention.

My Mother and I hurried to Taiyuan on November 29. In the afternoon we spoke to Officer Shi and Officer Zhang on the phone at the gate of National Security Bureau of Shanxi Province. We requested:1) to meet with Officer Shi and Officer Zhang to get to know necessary legal process; 2) to be provided with legal document about Shi Tao’s case; 3) the telephone number of National Security Bureau of Changsha to be provided. However, these requests were denied with the excuse that they were currently out of the office. We were told：1）Shi Tao was detained in Changsha on suspicion of providing state secrets to foreign countries; 2)The official documents were mailed 3) Officer Zhang agreed to meet with us on December 2.

On December 2 morning, Wang Yuan contacted Officer Zhang and were informed that:1) Legal documents were mailed, and marked received; 2) Our meeting with Zhang had been postponed to December 3. However, in the afternoon of December 2, Officer Zhang noticed Wang Yuan at her work place to meet with him. Zhang informed her that 1) the Bureau will return some of confiscated items including some notebooks and books; 2) a Criminal Detention notice will be sent to family members; 3) Zhang also gave Wang Yuan letter that Shi Tao wrote to her; 4) Officer Zhang would not meet my mother and me. He also warned Wang Yuan not to reveal Shi Tao’s case, especially to media, otherwise we would face the consequences.

My family is puzzled about all these. Shi Tao was a journalist. His work did not involve any top secret or national security. He did not have the means to obtain state secrets. Leaking secret is even more ridiculous. Shi Tao is honest and he loves his country. We believe he is innocent.

This is what happened to Shi Tao. I am fully responsible for the above facts.
Therefore, I call for the attention of various judicial institutes and the society as a whole:
1. The National Security Bureau in Changsha should openly explain the reason of secret detention of Shi Tao. Even though Shi Tao is a suspect, the detention and searching of apartment must follow proper legal procedures. Especially at the time when President Hu Jintao called for "governing the state by constitution and managing state by law", such secrecy is violating the law.
2. As Shi Tao’s detention did not follow the proper legal procedures, my family suspects the future trial would be fair. As our requests for legal consultations were denied, we have every reason to suspect that Shi Tao;s legal rights be violated.

We are ordinary people who are at the bottom of the social ladder. We do not intend to tell the black as white. The only thing we can do is to appeal for support. We appeal to the relevant legal institutes and people who bear justice in their mind to pay attention to Shi Tao’s case. We urge that Shi Tao’s case get a transparent fair trial. Only following "governing the state by constitution, managing the state by law", Our country may become a civilized society.

Shi Hua

Decenmber 5, 2004,

Appendix

We received the detention notice to family members and Wang Yuan’s institution from National Security Bureau in Changsha on December 2. 2004.

(2004)C.G.A.J.T.Z.No 1

Based on the “Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China” Article 61, Shi Tao was detained on suspicion of providing state secrets illegally to foreign countries on November 26, 2004. He is currently held at National Security Bureau in Hunan province detention center.

This notice is sent to Wang Yuan, wife of the detained and Shanxi Economy Daily:

Zhou Xinmin (seal)
National Security Bureau, Hunan Office (seal)
November 26,2004

Last updated:December 6, 2004