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Previous Action Alerts 10/19/06 - CHINA
October 19, 2006
Story Continued...
CHINA: Internet journalist Guo Qizhen sentenced to four years in prison.
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN protests the four-year prison sentence handed down on 16 October 2006 to Internet writer Guo Qizhen on subversion charges. Guo has reportedly been held since 12 May 2006 for his critical writings and pro-democracy activities. Guo is said to be in poor health and held without access to adequate care. International PEN considers journalist Guo Qizhen to be detained in violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China became a signatory in 1998, and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
According to PEN’s information, cyber-dissident Guo Qizhen was arrested at his home on 12 May 2006 and charged with ‘inciting subversion of state power’ on 8 June 2006. His arrest appears to be linked to his participation in a rotating hunger strike which has been taking place by pro-democracy activists since 4 February 2006 to protest against human rights violations in China. The charges are believed to be based on his anti-government articles published online on overseas websites.
Guo is currently held at Cangzhou detention centre No.2 in Hebei Province, central China. He was reported to be in a fragile psychological state and suffering from a broken leg, for reasons that remain unclear to PEN. The detention centre where he is held is said to lack the medical facilities required to give him adequate treatment.
Please send appeals:
- protesting the detention of Internet writer Guo Qizhen, and calling for his immediate and unconditional release in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China became a signatory in 1998;
- expressing serious concerns about his health, and urging that whilst detained his basic rights are respected and that he is granted full access to his family and all necessary medical care.
Sample Letter and Addresses Below:
(Please note that there are no fax numbers for the Chinese authorities. It is recommended that you copy your appeal to the Chinese embassy in your country asking that they forward your appeal and welcoming any comments).
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Sample Letter:
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R.China.
Procurator General Mr. Jia Chunwang
Supreme People’s Procuratorate
Beiheyan Street 147
100726 Beijing
P.R.China
Your Excellency:
I’m writing as a member of PEN USA, a writers’ organization with an 85-year history of defending human rights through the written word.
I would like to strongly protest the four-year prison sentence handed down to my colleague, internet journalist Guo Qizhen on October 16 2006.
As a writer and a defender of human rights, I am concerned that the charges of ‘inciting subversion of state power’ against Guo Qizhen are related to his online journalism and his participation in a hunger strike. If this is true, his detention is in direct violation of Article 19 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. I add myself to the international voices calling for the immediate release of Guo Qizhen in compliance with this responsibility.
Further, Guo is being held out of communication with even his family, and is suffering physical and psychological trauma. The facility in which he is being held lacks the medical facilities required to give him adequate treatment. The authorities have an obligation to give him access to his family and to such medical treatment as is necessary.
Respectfully,
c.c.: Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
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Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
in the United States of America
2300 Connecticut Ave., NW,
Washington, D.C. 20008
Mr. Ambassador:
I wanted to copy you on a letter that I am sending to His Excellency, Hu Jintao and Procurator General Mr. Jia Chunwang, concerning sentence handed down to my colleague Guo Qizhen.
If you could forward the enclosed letters to their intended recipients, I would appreciate it.
If you have any information or comments on this case, they would also be welcome.
Respectfully,