06 February 2008
RAPID ACTION NETWORK
Update #1 to RAN 37/07
CHINA: Writer and human rights activist Lu
Gengsong sentenced to four years in prison
for subversion.
The Writers in Prison Committee of
International PEN protests the four-year
prison sentence handed down to writer and
human rights activist Lu Gengsong on 5
February 2008 for ｀inciting subversion of
state power¨ for his critical writings
published online. Lu has been detained since
24 August 2007. International PEN considers
Lu Gengsong to be detained in violation of
Article 19 of the International Convention
on Civil and Political Rights, to which
China is a signatory, and calls for his
immediate and unconditional release.
According to PEN¨s information, Lu Gengsong
was arrested in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang
Province, on 24 August 2007, following the
on-line publication of articles critical of
the authorities. His home was searched and
his computer and personal files were
reportedly confiscated. Lu Gengsong was
formally charged on 29 September 2007 with
｀inciting subversion of state power¨, a
charge which is often used to silence
dissidents. He was tried behind closed doors
on 22 January 2008 and sentenced to four
years in prison by the Hangzhou City
Intermediate People¨s Court on 5 February
2008. Lu is held at the Xihu (West Lake)
Detention Centre in Hangzhou City.
Lu Gengsong, a history graduate from
Zhejiang University, taught at the Zhejiang
Higher Professional School of Public
Security before being expelled in 1993
because of his pro-democracy activities. He
went on to become a freelance writer, and
has published several books on political
reform, including A History of Chinese
Community Party Corrupt Officials in 2000.
Lu is known for his reporting on human
rights violations and his political
commentaries published on the Internet. He
is also an active member of the banned China
Democracy Party (CDP).
Please send appeals:
Protesting the four-year sentence handed
down to dissident writer Lu Gengsong for his
critical writings and pro-democracy
activities;
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.
Please note that there are no fax numbers
for the Chinese authorities. WiPC recommends
that you copy your appeal to the Chinese
embassy in your country asking them to
forward it and welcoming any comments.
Government addresses:
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
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.
Please copy appeals to the diplomatic
representative for China in your country if
possible.
**Please contact this office if sending
appeals after 05 March 2008**
For further information please contact Cathy
McCann at International PEN Writers in
Prison Committee, Brownlow House, 50/51 High
Holborn, London WC1V 6ER, Tel.+ 44 (0) 20
7405 0338, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7405 0339, email:
cathy.mccann@internationalpen.org.uk
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