January 25, 2012

President of the People’s Republic of China
His Excellency Hu Jintao
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R. China
 
Your Excellency,

On behalf of the 3,500 members of PEN American Center, an international organization of writers dedicated to protecting freedom of expression wherever it is threatened, we are writing to express our concern regarding the charges against writer and democracy activist Zhu Yufu.

According to our information, on January 17, 2012, Zhu Yufu, a member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, was charged with “inciting subversion” for his poem “It’s Time,” which calls on the Chinese people to raise their voices for change. Zhu was detained on March 5, 2011, during a government crackdown sparked by fears of an Arab Spring-style “Jasmine” revolution inside China. We understand that the prosecution withdrew his case from the courts due to lack evidence. Zhu’s lawyer says that Zhu had no connection with the online calls for a Jasmine revolution. A trial is expected as early as this week.

PEN American Center is incredibly alarmed by the continuing crackdown on dissent in China, which has seen dozens of writers, journalists, and human rights defenders arrested in the last year alone in violation of their right to freedom of expression as guaranteed by Article 35 of the Chinese constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. As the Chinese Communist Party prepares for a change in leadership this year, we call upon the authorities to promote protections for the human rights of its citizens, including the fundamental right to freedom of expression, and for the immediate and unconditional release of Zhu Yufu and all other writers imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to free expression.

Thank you for your attention to this crucial matter.

Respectfully,
                                        
Hannah Pakula                                               Larry Siems
Chair, Freedom to Write Committee            Director, Freedom to Write
                                                                        and International Programs

CC: H.E. Zhang Yesui
Ambassador of the PRC to the U.S.
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the U.S.
3505 International Place, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Fax: (202) 495-2138

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