March 28, 2004

For Immediate Release

Xing, Zheng, President

Tel: 510-759-2377

IFCSS Statement on the Detention of Family Members of June 4^th Victims

We are shocked to learn that Chinese police has detained three members of Tiananmen Mothers group, Mrs. Ding Ziling, Zhang Xianling and Huang Jinping. The reason given by the Chinese authorities was that their actions posed threat to “national security.” Yet our information indicated the three were only peacefully exercise their rights to remember those who were killed in the Tiananmen massacre 15 years ago.

IFCSS strongly condemn this new round of suppression on the family members of June 4^th victims by the Chinese government. We demand that Mrs. Ding Ziling, Zhang Xianling and Huang Jinping be released immediately, and that the Chinese authorities respect and protect freedom and the legal rights of the family members of June 4^th victims.

In the spring of 1989, Chinese students gathered at Tiananmen Square to demand freedom and end to government corruptions. On the night of June 3-4, 1989, Chinese army entered the city of Beijing to end the pro-democracy demonstrations. Hundreds of unarmed civilians were killed and thousands more injured. The Tiananmen Mothers is a network mainly comprised of those Chinese mothers who lost their sons, husbands or other loved ones in and around Tiananmen Square during the massacre. This group of courageous ladies led by Mrs. Ding Zilin has campaigned persistently to document human rights violations, to help the vulnerable and the forgotten, and to seek redress and accountability.

IFCSS pledged that we shall never forget those Chinese students and citizens who fell on that bloody night for a better China, and we have been working for 15 years to keep our promise. We reiterate our long-time strong support for The Tiananmen Mothers. IFCSS appeal to people around the world to support The Tiananmen Mothers’ demand:

1. that China’s legislative body, the People’s Congress of China, form a special commission to conduct a fair investigation of the massacre;

2. that Chinese government offer compensation to the families of those killed and injured;

3. that the Chinese authorities seek legal responsibility of those who initiated the massacre and ordered the killings.

We believe that Chinese government needs to resolve the issue of June 4^th tragedy before it can become a respected member of civilized international community.