Zheng Yichun

Fears of harsh treatment of Zheng Yichun

Sydney PEN is concerned about Zheng Yichun, a Professor of English and a writer, who was tried on 26 April 2005 for "inciting subversion of state power". According to reports, the prosecution cited a number of articles he had written, including several essays where he had called for political reform and the ending of the practice of imprisoning writers.
Zheng Yichun was arrested by the security services on 3 December 2004. He is an accomplished writer, and has written on a wide range of topics. According to sources his sentencing may be in a month's time.

The WiPC of PEN believes that the detention of Shi Tao and Zheng Yichun is an infraction of their right to free expression and calls on the Chinese authorities to release them.

Read our letter.

Please send appeals:

-Urging the authorities to release Zheng Yichun;
-Referring to our concerns about a seemingly intractable intolerance of dissent and a corresponding pattern of harassment and arrests of writers;
-Urging the Chinese authorities to adhere to the principle of free expression as guaranteed under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Appeals to:
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People's Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R.China.

His Excellency Zhang Fusen
Minister of Justice
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Chaoyang-qu
Beijing-shi 100020
P.R.China.

Her Excellency Fu Ying
Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China
15 Coronation Drive Yarralumla, ACT 2600
Canberra Australia
Email: chinaemb_au@mfa.gov.cn
Fax: (02) 6273-9615