Category Archives: ICPC News

An Open Letter to Wang Zheng, Director of Zhejiang Prison Administration, on the protection of Lü Gengsong’s human rights and interests

Dear Director Wang Zheng,

Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC), PEN America, and PEN International are writing to you to draw your attention to the case of Mr. Lü Gengsong, a member of ICPC.  Mr. Lü is serving his sentence in Huzhou Changhu Prison, which is under your administration. Mr. Lü is 67 years old and is serving an 11-year prison sentence. It is reported that he has been repeatedly abused by a prison officer in various ways, his legal rights have been seriously violated, and his physical and mental health is worrying. For this reason, we ask your bureau to investigate and deal with it and ensure Mr. Lü ‘s basic rights and humane treatment in accordance with the law.

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She Is Not Alone – A Joint Statement

She Is Not Alone
– A Joint Statement

The undersigned PEN centers and individuals are expressing our solidarity with Ms. Geling Yan, a prominent American-Chinese author residing in Berlin, for her struggle to restore her credit against Chinese state power. As shown in her open letter attached, Chinese authorities have suppressed her freedoms of expression and of the press in China, and been extending their long-arm censorship beyond through China’s expanding economic and political powers. We are calling the writers, journalists, publishers, distributors and media of conscience to support Ms. Yan’s One-Person-against-A-State struggle Continue reading

ICPC Origin and Development

By Yu Zhang

PEN International, formerly known as International PEN, founded on 5th October 1921, is currently the only global association of writers. The traditional constituents of PEN membership are summed up in its three letters: P stands for Poet and Playwright, E for Editor and Essayist, and N for Novelist. As a word in combination, PEN is also a traditional tool of writing, very meaningful. Today, a reporter, literary translator or publishes is also eligible to become a member of PEN. Continue reading

Where There Is Life, There Is Hope – Briefings on the Ninth Congress of ICPC and Its Administration Changes

Where There Is Life, There Is Hope

– Briefings on the Ninth Congress of ICPC and Its Administration Changes

From April 29 to May 13, 2020, the Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) held online the ninth congress of its Membership Assembly. 82 of its 153 voting members signed up to attend the congress. The membership assembly held four plenary sessions, approved the work and financial reports submitted by the Board of Directors, and elected the new Board according to its Charter. Among 11 candidates, nine were elected as the directors. They are Mr. ZHAO Shiying, Mr. LI Hai, Mr. ZHAO Changqing, Ms. LI Jianhong, Mr. XU Yonghai. Ms. LIU Di, Mr. LIU Zhengqing, Mr. Song TAN and Mr. PEI Yiran. Mr. DU Daobin and Mr. SUN Honglu were elected as alternate directors. Eight of them are based in China mainland though the human rights situation there have been getting worse with 13 of their colleagues of ICPC members still imprisoned, including Mr. ZHANG Guiqi (aka LU Yang), the 12th candidate who have been detained for suspision of “inciting subversion” by the police in Shandong Province since May 1 before the ICPC election. Continue reading

Women’s Rights Have Been Repeatedly Violated in China

A Protest Statement about Persecution of Female Writers Including ICPC Member Liu Yanli

The Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC)
November 28, 2018

The Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) was shocked to learn that Ms. Liu Yanli, ICPC member and well-known blogger was summoned by the police in Jingmen City, Hubei Province on November 21 2018. Her family was informed the next day that she was beaten up and sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. Her father and other family members then rushed to Jingmen. At the entrance of the Second People’s Hospital of Jingmen City, they were surrounded by several public security personnel and refused to enter the hospital to visit her. Immediately after that, the news was spread out that Liu Yanli was officially arrested with the approval by the procuratorate. Continue reading

Briefings on the Eighth Congress of ICPC and Its Administration Change

Never Ever Put Our Pens Down

Briefings on the Eighth Congress of ICPC and Its Administration Change

ICPC Secretariat

(May 2nd, 2018)

From March 28 to April 9, 2018, the Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) held the eighth congress of its membership assembly in its online community. 115 of its 213 voting members were recorded to attend the congress. The membership assembly held four sessions, amended the “Charter of Independent Chinese PEN Center” and the “Independent Chinese PEN Center’s Rules of Procedure of Membership Assembly”, and approved the work report and financial report submitted by the Board of Directors. The Membership Assembly reelected the board of directors according to its Charter. Among 12 candidates, 9 were elected as board members. They are Mr. WANG Jinbo, Ms. Tienchi MARTIN-LIAO, Ms. GAO Yu, Mr. ZHAO Shiying, Mr. HE Depu, Ms. QI Jiazhen, Mr. LI Hai, Ms. LIU Di and Mr. DU Daobin. Among them, seven are based in China. It is worth mentioning that Ms. GAO Yu, a famous dissident who had been jailed three times for freedom of speech, Mr. HE Depu and Mr. WANG Jinbo who were jailed due to founding the Democratic Party of China in the 1990s, have brought in new blood to the Board of Directors. Mr. PAN Yongzhong and Mr. XU Yonghai were elected as alternate board members. Continue reading

ICPC Statement on PEN International Day of Imprisoned Writers–Two Writers Honoured the Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award

The Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) has honoured two imprisoned writers, HU Shigen and Mahvash SABET (f, Iran) the ICPC’s 2016 Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award for their courage and perseverance in writing and fighting for freedom of experission and other basic rights despite the long-term imprisonment. In addition, ICPC have named six writers as new honorary members, including ZHANG Haitao, Shokjang (Tibetan), LU Yuyu, HUANG Wenxun, LI Tingyu (f) and WANG Yuping. Continue reading

Announcement of Nomination for 2016 Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award of Independent Chinese PEN Center

Title: Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award
Awardee: one or two individual annually;
Candidacy: Anyone in the case list of Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International who is still imprisoned or released under legal restriction of the right to freedom of expression, such as “deprivation of political rights”;
Nominator: Three individuals, or a PEN centre;
Nomination period: Starting on 23 June, anniversary of Liu Xiaobo’s formal arrest and ending on 8 October;
Date to announce the awardee: Writers in Prison Day on 15 November;
Awarding Items: a certificate or trophy, prize check and awarding statement.
Prize: 2000 US dollars; Continue reading