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RAPID
ACTION NETWORK
2 August 2005
Update to RAN 06/05
China: Writer Zhang Lin Sentenced to Five Years in
Prison
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN is
shocked by the news that writer Zhang Lin was sentenced
to five years in prison and four years deprivation of
political rights on 28 July 2005. It protests this heavy
sentence passed against Zhang in direct violation of his
right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under
Article
19 of United Nations Declaration on Human Rights. It
calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
In February this year, PEN's Writers in Prison
Committee, alerted its members of writers based in 99
countries that Zhang Lin, a dissident writer and
pro-democracy advocate,had been arrested on 27 January
2005 at Bangbu City railway station in Anhui Province.
At the time of his arrest, Zhang Lin had just returned
from a trip to Beijing where he planned to pay his
respects to the late Zhao Ziyang, a reformist politician
who had died on 17 January 2005. Zhang Lin was not
permitted to do so by the authorities and was forced to
return to Bangbu.
According to reports, Zhang Lin was arrested because of
a number of "radical" articles he had written
and subsequently posted on the internet. On 29 January,
Zhang Lin was charged with "disturbing social
order", and placed in detention for 15 days. His
house was searched by police on 6 February. On 12
February, shortly before he was due to be released, he
was charged with "suspicion of endangering national
security", and remains in detention.
Zhang Lin was reportedly sentenced on 28 July 2005 by
the Bangbu Intermediate People's Court, Anhui Province,
in eastern China. The verdict was not formally
announced, not even to his lawyer, until five days later
on 2 August, effectively halving the 10 day limit under
which a person can appeal their conviction. PEN
understand that Zhang Lin is nevertheless filing an
appeal.
Background
Zhang Lin is from Bangbu, Anhui Province. He has been
active in pro-democracy movements for many years and has
written numerous essays on politics and human rights
issues with a special focus on China. He has been
imprisoned repeatedly for his political activities.
Recommended Actions:
Please send appeals:
- Protesting the five year sentence and four years
deprivation of civil rights passed against Zhang Lin;
- Pointing out that not only is his detention in
violation of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights,
but also Article 19 of the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights that specifically guarantees
the right to freedom of expression to which the People's
Republic of China became a signatory in 1998.
- Therefore calling on the government of the People's
Republic of China to stand by its commitments and that
Zhang Lin, be freed immediately and without conditions.
Appeals
to be sent 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.
(Please note that there are no fax numbers for these
addresses. It is recommended that you mail your appeals,
and at the same time fax or mail a copy to the Chinese
embassy in your country asking that your appeal be
forwarded to China, and at the same time welcoming any
comments that the embassy may have on your appeal.)
For further details contact Cathy McCann at the Writers
in Prison Committee London Office: 9-10 Charterhouse
Buildings, London EC1M 7AT UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 72 53 32 26
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 72 53 57 11 e-mail: cmccann@wipcpen.org
Sara Whyatt
Programme Director
Writers in Prison Committee
International PEN
9-10 Charterhouse Buildings
London EC1M 7AT
UK
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7253 3226
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7253 5711
Email: swhyatt@wipcpen.org
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