Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China
Zhongnanhai,
No. 174 Xi Chang’an Jie,
Beijing 100017
People’s Republic of China
Via Facsimile: (+86) 10 6307 0900
August 9, 2017
Dear President Xi Jinping,
The Committee to Protect Journalists, an independent organization dedicated to defending press freedom worldwide, is deeply concerned about the deteriorating health condition of journalist Huang Qi, who is imprisoned in Mianyang City, Sichuan.
Huang was arrested on November 28, 2016. The journalist suffers from the kidney disease acute nephritis. According to his lawyer, who visited him in prison on July 28, Huang’s health deteriorated quickly after his arrest, with a sharp increase in blood levels of creatinine, indicating possible imminent kidney failure. Soon after, prison officials began to administer medicine and to supply him with a special diet to ease the symptoms of his chronic disease. However, his lawyer reports that the medical treatments and special diet were halted on July 5.
We urge you to respond positively to the repeated appeals of his mother, his lawyers, and his associates to release Huang from prison on humanitarian grounds for medical parole. We also urge that his medical treatments be reinstituted immediately.
China’s global reputation suffered terribly from the recent death of Liu Xiaobo. Please do not allow this to happen again. We look forward to your positive response.
Yours sincerely,
Kathleen Carroll
Board Chair
CC: Director Qiao Yuejun, Mianyang City Detention Centre, Jianmenlu Peicheng Qu, Mianyang Shi 621000 People’s Republic of China Fax: +86 816 2377600