2010: China: Crackdown on dissidents
His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R. China
Mr. Meng Jianzhu
Minister of Public Security
East Chang’an Avenue 14
100741 Beijing
P.R. China
16. October 2010
Your Excellency,
Crackdown on supporters of prominent dissident writer and Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo.
Norwegian PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee is alarmed about an apparent crackdown on Chinese writers and intellectuals following the award of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned writer Liu Xiaobo, former President and Board member of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC). According to reports, over thirty dissidents have been arrested, warned or placed under house arrest and increased surveillance since the award was announced on 8 October 2010, including at least a dozen ICPC members. There is particular concern for the well-being of the laureate’s wife Liu Xia, who has been held incommunicado at her residence since visiting her husband in Jinzhou prison on 10 October. Such harassment of dissidents is common in China, although there are fears that this most recent crackdown could signify a diminishing tolerance of dissent by the authorities.
Yours sincerely
Annaguli Yildam,
Member of Norwegian PEN, WiPC
