International PEN strongly protests the three-year prison sentence handed down to dissident writer and journalist Chen Daojun for “inciting subversion of state power” in his online articles. PEN considers Chen Daojun’s conviction to be in violation of his right to free expression as guaranteed by Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which China is a signatory, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.

Background Information

ccording to PEN’s information, freelance journalist Chen Daojun was handed a three-year prison sentence and three years’ deprivation of political rights on November 11, 2008 by the Intermediate People’s Court of Chengdu. Chen was arrested on May 9, 2008 and charged with "inciting subversion of state power." At some point during Chen's detention, the charge of "inciting subversion" was dropped and replaced with "inciting splittism" for reasons which remain unclear to PEN. At his trial, which took place on November 5, 2008 and lasted two and a half hours, no verdict was reached. However, on November 11, 2008 it was announced that he had been convicted of “inciting subversion” in three of his articles published in overseas Chinese web sites and a Hong Kong-based magazine.
 
Chen Daojun, aged 40, is a freelance dissident writer from Jintang Township, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. He is believed to be targeted for several articles in support of anti-government protesters in the Tibetan Autonomous Region following unrest that broke out in the region in March 2008.

More information:

  • http://2newcenturynet.blogspot.com/2008/04/blog-post_7713.html

Write A Letter

  • Protesting the sentence imposed on dissident writer and journalist Chen Daojun;
  • Calling for his immediate and unconditional release in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory.

Send Your Letter To

His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R. China
 
Mr. Meng Jianzhu
Minister of the Public Security
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 and welcoming any comments.

Please check with PEN if sending appeals after December 24, 2008: ftw[at]pen.org