The ICJ strongly condemns the measures taken by the government of the Peoples Republic of China to silence its courageous youth – a generation who dared to utter a prolonged cry for liberty.
This cry went to the hearts of the people of China and reverberated around the whole world.
Refusing discussions with the demonstrators, the government called in the army to silence them by terror and massive killings. Not content with the silence of a subdued people, they proceed to execute the supposed ringleaders after a brief military trial.
In what they do, the government violates its obligations under international law and its own Constitution by:
- denying the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech,
- declaring a state of emergency when there was none,
- shooting down and crushing under tanks unarmed civilians,
- submitting the alleged leaders to hurried military trials,
- executing those condemned to death without a right to review by a higher tribunal, and
- ignoring and rejecting with contempt world-wide appeals for clemency.
Nevertheless, in the name of common humanity, we join our voice to those crying to the rulers of China to let the killing stop.