Stanford Grads Want Justice for Their Classmate
Stanford grad has been held in a Shanghai prison for 10 years and counting.
May 8, 2008— -- About 150 graduates of Stanford's Business School gathered recently for their 15th reunion. The class of 1993 includes an Internet media company executive, a small business entrepreneur and the head of a prestigious breast cancer program. They are trained problem solvers and, together, they are trying to figure out how to help a classmate halfway around the world.
Jude Shao, 46, has served 10 years of a 16-year sentence in a Chinese prison, convicted of tax fraud by the Chinese government. His advocates say even though he has documents to prove his innocence, he remains behind bars.
"It's outrageous, actually, because it's obvious he's innocent," Chuck Hoover, a former classmate, says.
Hoover was Shao's roommate. Ever since his friend went to jail in Shanghai, Hoover has been working with influential Stanford alumni to spread the word of Shao's plight through the Internet and the media. Using their connections and vast knowledge, they hold brainstorming sessions to develop ways to help their friend.
"Does anyone know anyone at the U.N.?" asks one classmate. Several hands go up. Someone else volunteers to put together a care package of nutritional food to send to Shao in prison. Still another classmate offers to help update the FreeJudeShao Web site and even translate it into Chinese.
The alumni have launched a huge letter-writing campaign to members of Congress to urge China to release Shao.They've also successfully lobbied many high-ranking government officials, including former Stanford professor and now Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. On her most recent trip to China, she publicly discussed Shao's case with government leaders.
Shao's supporters hope to capitalize on China's desire to repair its public image after the worldwide protests surrounding the Olympic torch.
"I believe the Chinese leadership now believes that its image in the world is such that the success of the Chinese Olympics could be jeapordized," says John Kamm, a California-based human rights activist and executive director of the Dui Hua Foundation, which translates as "dialogue" in Chinese.
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