We are writing to you as a matter of urgency regarding the arbitrary detention and disappearance of the prominent Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, whose famous work Sunflowers is currently on display at Tate Modern.

We and many Chinese and other friends are very concerned at the Chinese government’s behaviour towards its own citizens. Ai Weiwei's position is that he firmly believes in the freedom of speech and the right to speak up on behalf of others who have been brutally silenced for their efforts to change society for the better.
 

We applaud William Hague, the French and German governments and the EU representative in China, for their efforts to speak up publicly on behalf of Ai and other prisoners, such as the Nobel Peace Prize recipient Liu Xiaobo. We also applaud David Cameron’s statement regarding the importance of human rights on his visit to China last year, which is a significant step in the right direction.

As an immediate priority we urge Western and other governments to exert strong pressure on China to treat its citizens with the respect that they deserve, as a matter of basic justice and humanity. At this stage of China's development as a country taking an increasing part in world affairs both politically and economically, it is crucial that we take responsibility to push for the humane treatment of individuals by its government and make it clear that China's credibility in the world is at stake if it does not significantly improve its human rights record.

For example, another artist, Wu Yuren, was released in Beijing on Sunday 3rd April after being detained for nearly 11 months without trial. His wife and child were left in a state of great anxiety for his safety and welfare and he had committed no crime whatsoever. Liu Xiaobo has been handed an eleven-year sentence as a writer who expressed the need for constitutional reform in the Chinese political system. He has effectively been removed from society for more than ten years for expressing his individual views.

We are extremely concerned that the same fate awaits Ai Weiwei. We urge the British government to treat this case as an urgent priority and to press for his immediate release.

Signed:

Dr Katie Hill and Cai Yuan

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Ai Weiwei in Conversation, Tate Channel: http://channel.tate.org.uk/media/641676725001

Journal of Visual Art Practice, special issue: http://www.aaa.org.hk/event_detail.aspx?event_id=17183