Relatives of members of an underground Christian group jailed last month on rape and assault charges have appealed to the United Nations for help.
The plea was made in an open letter released by Fu Xiqiu, a US-based Chinese Christian on Wednesday, and addressed to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Human Rights Commissioner Sergio Vieira de Mello.
The jailed Christians, members of the banned South China Church, include church founder Gong Shengliang and followers Xu Fuming, Hu Yong, Gong Bangkun and Li Ying. They were sentenced early last month by Jingmen Intermediate People's Court in Hubei to prison terms ranging from life to 15 years.
'We think that the trial by Jingmen Intermediate People's Court is brash and irrational . . . The trial is not based on the constitution and other state laws, and even neglected the primary legal procedures,' said the letter, which was signed by more than a dozen relatives.
'We are all full of fear and feel worried. When will our constitutional rights be safeguarded? When will our country be ruled by law? We are certain that all people of integrity in our country will ask themselves these questions.'
The letter alleged that the prosecution authorities in Jingmen city had put pressure on the defendants' lawyers to drop the case.
