International PEN is seriously concerned about the detention and well-being of dissident writer and journalist Chen Daojun, who was detained on May 9, 2008, near the city of Chengdu, Sichuan province. PEN seeks urgent information about his well-being following the devastating earthquake in the province on May 12, 2008, and sends condolences to the Chinese for the losses suffered as a result of this disaster. PEN is concerned that Chen Daojun was charged with subversion after publishing an article and campaigning on environmental issues. PEN calls for his immediate and unconditional release if he continues to be held in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory.

Background Information

Freelance journalist Chen Daojun was among a number of people detained on May 9, 2008, while protesting the construction of a chemical plant in the town of Pengzhou, 39 km outside the capital Chengdu. He is reportedly held on subversion charges for an article published on May 5, 2008, on the overseas Chinese web site China E-Weekly about the alleged dangers of the proposed plant. There has been no news of him since the earthquake devastated the region on  May 12, 2008. 

Write A Letter

  • expressing serious concern for the safety of detained journalist Chen Daojun following the earthquake in Sichuan on May 12, seeking guarantees of his well-being, and expressing condolences for the losses suffered in this disaster;

 

  • expressing serious concern that Chen Daojun appears to have been charged in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory, and calling for his immediate and unconditional release.  

Please send a copy of your appeal to the Chinese embassy in your country, asking them to forward it and welcoming any comments.
 

Send Your Letter To

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

Minister of the Public Security
Mr. Meng Jianzhu
East Chang'an Avenue 14
100741 Beijing
P.R. China

Please note that fax numbers are no longer available for the Chinese authorities, so you may wish to ask the diplomatic representative for China in your country to forward your appeals.

Please check with the PEN,  if sending appeals after June 20, 2008: [email protected]

 

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