Peking press cries for death to Jiang

Press, 27 December 1980, Page 6

Peking press cries for death to Jiang

NZPA Peking The trial of Chaiman Mao Tse-tung’s widow, Jiang Qing, was in recess yesterday for the second straight day after she delivered a volatile defence argument and disrupted the court. Officials did not report when Jiang would resume her lengthy final statement in the trial of the “Gang of ■Four’’ and six other radicals. Jiang is the last to deliver a defence argument against charges of treason, fro® 6 : ups, and thousands of fatal persecutions. She and her co-defendants face possible death sentence* if convicted. According to Chinese sources, Jiang has argued that her actions were correct, justified, and known to Mao.

Demands for the “severest punishment” for Jiang — implying death — poured yesterday from letters and articles in the Chinese press denouncing her as venomous, heartless, and still vengeful. ,

“It is necessary to senfence heinous counter-revo-lutionary principal culprits like Jiang Qing to the severest punishment, not only to avenge the victims and uphold justice, but also , to prevent the re-emergence of arch criminals like Jiang Qing from bringing further suffering to the people,” said a letter prominently displayed in the Communist Party- newspaper, “People’s Daily.” The letter, from Chen Haosu, son of the late Foreign Minister, Chen Yi, said she had shouted to the court •’Yes, I am. lewle**.

What can - you do about me?” ■J. " Chen Yi allegedly was framed and persecuted by other members of Jiang Qing’s “Gang of Four ” , She also denounced her. detention and trial as illegal and swore to investigate those responsible, but offered to exempt th* "nobodies" on the court and prosecution, the letter said. “Like all reactionaries facing imminent doom, Jiang Qing will never be reconciled to her defeat,” the.letter added. ..... - /- - ■ “Whenever there is ai; opportunity she will resort to wanton retaliation.” It said that early in the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, when she 'first began revealing her ferocious features, she first proceeded to take revenge against those party and State leaders who ’suppressed me for several decades'.” 'V She also acted against tha ordinary people, the; letter “tt* said, "She deserve* th« severest punishment secuting President Liu Shaochi to death. She . alsd deserve* the severest punishment for persecuting,, an ordinary worker, latrine cleaner Shi Chuanklang, to death.”" Meanwhile, Peking newspapers carried articles about various'* victims of ' persecution blamed on Jiang Qing. One said that the widow of a Shanghai police official had demanded severe punishment for Jiang Qing because she had the official persecuted -to death.-for not handing over police files about her past as a film actress in the 19305.