When China was bidding for the Olympics in 2001, the Chinese government made explicit promises to improve its human-rights record. But as the Beijing Olympic Games approach, Chinese writers and journalists continue to be censored, harassed, and imprisoned throughout the country. The We Are Ready for Freedom of Expression campaign seeks to pressure the Chinese government to release all imprisoned writers before the opening of the Olympic Games in August 2008. Together with its Members and supporters, PEN calls for the release of all currently imprisoned writers, for complete media freedom, and for the end of internet censorship and a drastic reform of laws used to jail writers and suppress freedom of expression.

July 30, 2008:
PEN Protests Internet Censorship at Olympics Press Facilities
>> More

July 21, 2008:
Chinese Writer Du Daobin Re-Arrested as Crackdown Continues
>> More

July 8, 2008:
China Fails to Deliver: An Olympic-Year Report Card on Free Expression
>> More

July 2, 2008:
Chinese Journalist Sentenced, Others Prevented From Meeting U.S. Officials
>> More

June 19, 2008:
50 Days Before Olympics, PEN Urges U.S. Action for Writers Jailed in China
>> More

June 18 2008:
PEN Letter to the International Olympic Committee
>> More

June 13, 2008:
Detentions Escalate at China Quake Site
>> More

June 6, 2008:
No Let-Up: China Detains Another Writer
>> More

>> Complete News Archive

  PEN gives China failing grade for free expression
CBC News

China Silences Critics as Olympics Near, Report Says
Bloomberg News

The real score on freedom of expression in China
The Globe and Mail

  Chinese Dissident Honored for Writings
All Things Considered, NPR

  Writers Petition China
The World, BBC

  Writers Demand China Release Imprisoned Writers
Voice of America

PEN Petitions Chinese Government to Release Imprisoned Writers
Publishers Weekly

>> Complete Press Archive

PEN's letter to the Chinese government

We are writing on behalf of our members and the entire community of International PEN, the worldwide association of writers, to urge you to release 40 of our colleagues who are in prison in your country in violation of their right to freedom of expression. >> More

Call for submissions

PEN is seeking short stories, essays, and personal narratives by and about people living in China. Selected submissions will be published on PEN.org. >> More

1. Sign the petition to the Chinese government

2. Sign the petition to the U.S. Congress

3. Sign up to receive breaking campaign news and action alerts

PEN believes the following writers and journalists are imprisoned in China for exercising their right to speak and write freely, as guaranteed under Chinese and international law:

CHEN Daojun

CHEN Shuqing

DU Daobin

GUO Qizhen

Dawa GYALTSEN

Jampel GYATSO

HADA

HE Depu

HE Yanjie

HU Jia

HU Shigen

HUANG Jinqiu (a.k.a. Qing Shuijun)

HUANG Qi

Korash HUSEYIN

JIN Haike

KONG Youping

Dolma KYAB

Jamyang KYI

LI Zhi

LU Gengsong

LU Jianhua

LU Zengqi

Abdulghani MEMETEMIN

NING Xianhua

QI Chonghuai

SHI Tao

SUN Lin

TAO Haidong

Tohti TUNYAZ (pen name MUZART)

WANG Xiaoning

WU Yilong

XU Wei

XU Zerong

YAN Zhengxue

YANG Maodong (a.k.a. Guo Feixiong)

YANG Tongyan (a.k.a. Yang Tianshui)

YANG Zili

Nurmuhemmet YASIN

YUAN Qiuyan

ZENG Hongling

ZHANG Honghai

ZHANG Jianhong (a.k.a. Li Hong)

ZHANG Lin

ZHENG Yichun

ZHU Yufu


RELEASED

CHING Cheong

FENG Zhenghu

GUO Quan

LI Changqing

WANG Dejia (pen name Jing Chu)

YU Huafeng

ZHOU Yuanzhi