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Letter from U.S. Senator
Urges Release of Noguchi
 

On Jan. 20, U.S. Senator Sam Brownback sent a letter to Chinese authorities urging them to release our worker, Takayuki Noguchi, who is currently being held in prison in Nanning, Guangxi.


Read the text of this letter below

 


United States Senate
January 20, 2004

His Excellency Yang Jiechi
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008

Dear Mr. Ambassador:

I write to express my appreciation to the Chinese authorities in Nanning, Guangxi, China for the release last month of the female interpreter detained on December 10, 2003, with humanitarian worker Takayuki Noguchi and two Japanese-born Koreans. I also write to request that the same treatment be given to Mr. Noguchi and the two refugees who were with him at the time.

Mr. Noguchi is a member of the Japanese non-governmental-organization (NGO), Life Funds for North Korean Refugees, an organization highly regarded for its efforts to assist refugees from North Korea. Mr. Noguchi was attempting to assist two Japanese born individuals who had fled North Korea. While China has every right to protect its borders and its citizens, these individuals were clearly refugees seeking protection under the international agreements to which the People’s Republic of China is signatory.

It is my understanding that Mr. Noguchi is currently being detained at Nanning Prison in Guangxi, along with the two Japanese-born refugees, a woman born in her 40s who was born in Tokai Region Japan and a man in his 50s born in West Japan.

It is my hope that China will release Mr. noguchi and the two refugees to Japanese authorities as soon as possible. I appreciate your attention and request that you contact me if you need any further information or wish to discuss this matter.

Sincerely,

Sam Brownback
United States Senator