RAPID ACTION
NETWORK
RAN 37/08
The Writers in Prison Committee of
International PEN
protests the re-arrest of dissident
writer and member of
the Independent Chinese PEN Centre
Du Daobin, who was
detained on 21 July 2008 for
apparently violating the
conditions of his probation. Du
Daobin was previously
arrested in October 2003 and
sentenced to three years in
prison on subversion charges for his
online critical
writings, but was released
conditionally in June 2004 after
eight months in prison. He is now
thought to be required to
serve the remainder of his sentence.
International PEN
calls 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.
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CRD)
give the following
information:
｀On July 21, Du Daobin, a writer on
probation for "inciting
subversion of state power", was
taken away by police.
According to his family, police said
Du will have to serve
the rest of his term in prison for
violating the relevant
laws while on probation. At around
noon yesterday, half a
dozen National Security police from
Yingcheng City Public
Security Bureau (PSB), Hubei
Province, took Du away from
his workplace. Police also searched
Du's home and
confiscated two computers and some
letters. Police alleged
that, while on probation, Du
published more than a hundred
essays on overseas websites, failed
to report to the police
regularly and did not notify the
police when he travelled
outside of his hometown and when he
hosted guests at home.
For these 'violations', Du will be
sent back to prison. Du
has almost finished serving his term
after he was convicted
in 2004.
Police apparently acted in violation
of legal procedures.
According to the relevant Chinese
laws, to send an
individual on probation back to
prison, the PSB needs to
make an application to the Court.
The Court then decides on
the application. However, the police
did not present any
court documents when they took Du
away, nor have police
notified Du's family of where he is
being held or how he
can be contacted.
Du, 43, is a well-known dissident
writer from Yingcheng
City, Hubei Province. On June 11,
2004, Du was convicted of
"inciting subversion of state power"
and sentenced to three
years' imprisonment commuted to four
years' probation and
two years' deprivation of political
rights. According to
the court verdict, between July 2002
and October 2003, Du
posted twenty-six articles on
internet websites such as
Dajiyuan and New Century in China
and abroad. Du wrote that
the current government is
illegitimate and its power
"dictatorial, violent, cruel, unfair
and corrupt." As the
Chinese government had "lost the
qualification to represent
the side of justice," "the issue of
subversion of
government being illegal does not
exist." These comments
were considered slanderous and
inciting of subversion of
state power.¨
Please send appeals:
Protesting the arrest of writer Du
Daobin, 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 is a
signatory.
Urging that he
is granted full access to his family
and
legal representation, and is treated
humanely in detention.
The 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.
Mr. Meng Jianzhu
Minister of the Public Security
East Chang'an Avenue 14
100741 Beijing
P.R. China
Please note that fax numbers are not
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 the PEN WiPC office
in London if sending
appeals after 8 August 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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