PEN International is alarmed at reports of a violent crackdown on government critics and human rights defenders in recent days, presumably because of the government’s increasing fear of domestic social unrest. 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 dissent. Members of the Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) are among those targeted. PEN reminds the Chinese authorities of their obligations to uphold the right to freedom of expression, freedom of information, and freedom of assembly as guaranteed by Article 35 of the Chinese constitution as well as Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which it is a state party. PEN calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained for the peaceful expression of their views, and seeks guarantees of the safety of those currently held without due process.

Background Information

Since February 16, 2011, police have stepped up their harassment of human rights defenders and activists across the country, apparently in response to anonymous calls for "Jasmine Revolution" protests. Many have been briefly detained, harassed, summoned, or placed under house arrest, but at least five prominent rights activists and dissidents have been criminally detained for allegedly "endangering state security" and may face charges of "inciting subversion" or "subversion of state power." They include writer Ran Yunfei and prominent "weiquan" (rights protection) lawyer Teng Biao, both members of the Independent Chinese PEN Center, arrested on February 19, 2011. Both men are feared to be at risk of torture or ill-treatment in detention. 

PEN is also alarmed at reports of the increasingly widespread use of extra-judicial or "soft" detention, in which government critics are subjected to arbitrary arrest without charge, abduction, assault, and intimidation. Of particular concern is the persecution of Liu Xia, wife of imprisoned dissident writer and Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo, who has been held incommunicado under strict house arrest at her home in Beijing since October 18, 2010, and is denied any contact with the outside world. Concerns for her welfare and psychological integrity are acute.

Write A Letter

  • Expressing alarm at the recent crackdown on dissent targeting writers, journalists, and human rights defenders;
  • Reminding Chinese authorities of their obligations under Article 35 of the Chinese constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a state party;
  • Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those currently detained in China solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to free expression.

Send Your Letter To

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

MA Zhenchuan Juzhang
Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau
Beijingshi Gong'anju
9 Dongdajie, Qianmen
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100740
People's Republic of China
Fax: +86 106 524 2927

WU Aiying Buzhang Sifabu
Minister of Justice
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Chaoyangqu
Beijingshi 100020
People's Republic of China

MENG Jianzhu Gong'anbu
Minister of Public Security of the People's Republic of China
14 Dongchang'anjie
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100741
People's Republic of China

Please copy appeals to the diplomatic representative for China in your country if possible.

Please contact PEN if sending appeals after March 31, 2011: ftw [at] pen.org