Dr. Zheng Yichun, a Professor of English at Liaoning University, was arrested by the security services in Yingkou, Liaoning Province, on December 3, 2004, and charged with “suspicion of inciting subversion of state power”. The Prosecutor’s Office cited 63 of Zheng’s articles as evidence for the charges against him. They were among 300 articles that the police confiscated from his home. Zheng, a prolific Internet writer and poet, has published several books on a number of topics, including political reform, increased capitalism in China and an end to the practice of imprisoning writers.
Zheng was convicted on July 21, 2005 of “incitement to subversion of state power” for his critical writings. He was sentenced to seven years in prison on September 20 by the Yingkou Intermediate People’s Court, Liaonin Province. Zheng suffers from diabetes and his health has deteriorated since his imprisonment. Please send appeals for his release to:

Addresses

His Excellency Jiang Zemin
President of the People’s Republic
of China
Zhong Naihai, Beijingshi 100032
People’s Republic of China
Salutation: Your Excellency

His Excellency Hu Jintao
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
People’s Republic of China
Salutation: Your Excellency

Mr. Xiao Yang
President of the Supreme People’s Court
No.27 Dongjiaominxiang
Dongcheng District, Beijing 100745
People’s Republic of China

Sample Letter

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the suppression of the right to freedom of expression in the case of the Dr. Zheng Yichun, who was arrested on December 3, 2004 and sentenced to seven years imprisonment on July 21, 2005 on charges of "incitement to subvert state power."

I understand that although China pledged to open up restrictions on media reporting in advance of the Olympics, it has instead clamped down on the media and citizens’ right to receive and impart information. The continuing detention of scholars and journalists damages China’s image abroad and undercuts its ambitions to develop a dynamic and competitive economy and culture.

I therefore urge you to release Zheng along with all other scholars and journalists imprisoned in violation of their fundamental right to free expression, which is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. Protecting this essential right will only make China stronger.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,