Dissident Poet Zhu Yufu Charged with Subversion for A Poem
Writer Zhu Yufu has been charged with “subversion” for a poem posted online. More
Writer Chen Wei Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison
Chen Wei, an honorary member of the Independent Chinese PEN Center and winner of the Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write award, was sentenced on December 23, 2011, to nine… More
Another Writer Receives A Lengthy Prison Term
Dissident writer Chen Xi was sentenced to 10 years in prison on December 26, 2011, for “inciting subversion of state power” in essays published on overseas web sites. More
Pen Honors Imprisoned Writers on International Human Rights Day (December 10)
December 10, 2011 (International Human Rights Day), marks the first anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo, former president of the Independent Chinese PEN… More
Testimony of Marian Botsford Fraser, PEN International
On December 6, 2011, PEN International's Writers in Prison Committee Chair Marian Botsford Fraser was invited to testify before Congress at a hearing entitled “One Year After the Nobel… More
Journalist Qi Chonghuai Sentenced to A Further Eight Years
PEN International protests the additional eight-year sentence handed down to freelance journalist Qi Chonghuai on June 9, 2011, two weeks before the end of his four-year sentence for extortion… More
Artist Ai Weiwei Faces Enormous Fines
On June 28, 2011, it was reported that Ai Weiwei, the internationally acclaimed artist who had been freed on bail a week earlier, had been visited by government tax… More
Prominent Artist and Critic Ai Weiwei Detained; Fears for Safety
Artist and prominent government critic Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing airport on April 3, 2011, and remains in detention. More
Dissident Writer Liu Xianbin Sentenced
Writer and activist Liu Xianbin was handed down a 10-year prison sentence on March 25, 2011, for "inciting subversion of state power" in connection with his publication of a… More
Renewed Crackdown on Dissidents and Activists; Fears for Safety
Over 100 human rights defenders and activists have reportedly been harassed, intimidated, or detained and a number of foreign journalists have been assaulted in a targeted campaign to suppress… More