China: Writer Ye Du detained; fears for safety

English PEN protests the administrative detention of Wu Wei (pen-name Ye Du), who is the webmaster and Network Coordinator of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC). He is believed to be held under residential surveillance for ‘inciting subversion of state power’, a charge commonly used to silence dissent in China. English PEN reminds the Chinese authorities of their obligations to Article 35 of the Chinese constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which it is a state party. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained for the peaceful expression of their views, including Wu Wei, and seek urgent guarantees of his safety.

According to our information, Wu Wei was taken from his home in Haizhu, Guangdong Province, and arrested on 22 February 2011. His wife reports that police also raided their home, confiscating computers, books, and videos. On 1 March 2011 Wu Wei was reportedly placed under residential surveillance in Fanyu, Guangdong Province, for allegedly ‘inciting subversion of state power’. He could face up to six months of detention without trial, and is feared to be at risk of ill-treatment. Wu Wei has previously suffered harassment for his dissident writings and activism, and spoke engagingly about ‘Being Invited to Tea’ (a euphemism used to describe police warnings) at the PEN International congress in Tokyo in September 2010.

Since 16 February 2011 police have stepped up their harassment of human rights defenders and activists across the country, apparently in response to anonymous calls for ‘Jasmine Revolution’ protests (please click here for details). Over one hundred human rights defenders and activists have been arbitrarily detained, harassed or intimidated, including several ICPC members.

Click here for PEN International’s press release.

Click here for a statement by the Independent Chinese PEN Centre on the recent crackdown.

Click here for the previous alert.

Please send appeals:

- Protesting the administrative detention of writer and ICPC member Wu Wei (aka Ye Du), who is among scores of writers, journalists and human rights defenders to be targeted in a recent crackdown on dissent;
- Reminding the Chinese authorities of their obligations under Article 35 of the Chinese constitution and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which it is a state party;
- Calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all those currently detained in the P.R.China for the peaceful exercise of their right to free expression, including Wu Wei.

Send appeals to:

His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R. China

Director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau
Ma Zhenchuan Juzhang
Beijingshi Gong’anju
9 Dongdajie, Qianmen
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100740
People’s Republic of China.
Fax: 86 1065242927

Minister of Justice
Wu Aiying Buzhang
Sifabu
10 Chaoyangmen Nandajie
Chaoyangqu
Beijingshi 100020
People’s Republic of China.

Minister of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China
Meng Jianzhu
Gong’anbu
14 Dongchang’anjie
Dongchengqu
Beijingshi 100741
People’s Republic of China.

Please note that there are no fax numbers for the Chinese authorities. We therefore recommend that you copy your appeal to the Chinese embassy in your country asking them to forward it and welcoming any comments.

His Excellency Liu Xiaoming
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
49-51 Portland Place
London
W1B 4JL

Please do let us know if you send appeals, and certainly if you should receive a response, via email to cat@englishpen.org