Category Archives: ICPC News

ICPC Statement for International Human Rights Day

For Press Release
8 December 2012

Today is the fourth detention anniversary of Dr. Liu Xiaobo, the former and honorary president of Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC), and two days later it will be the second anniversary of awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize. Gazed by the whole world, the CCP’s 18th Congress held in Beijing last month has not resulted in any goodwill toward freedom but launched a new series of crackdown since prior to the Congress to repress freedom of expression and violate basic human rights of Chinese people. Not only Liu Xiaobo and other prisoners of conscience have been still in jail, and Liu Xiaobo’s wife Liu Xia, a poet and founding member of ICPC, has been still under house arrest since more the two years ago, but also a young activist Cao Haibo who initiated an online organization Zhenhua Club has been sentenced to 8-year imprisonment in Yunnan Province as well as a dissident writer Li Bifeng has been sentenced to 12-year imprisonment in Sichuan Province, respectively. In recent two months, there have been many forced disappearances, forced travels and illegal house arrest of many dissidents and activists including ICPC members for political “stability”. ICPC expresses its strong protest against these acts of Chinese authorities, and calls on the Chinese authorities to end their persecutions and respect citizens’ basic human rights including freedom of expression guaranteed by the Chinese Constitution and the International Human Rights Conventions, and to release Liu Xiaobo, Liu Xia and all of others under unjustl imprisonments and house arrest immediately and unconditionally. Continue reading

ICPC Statement on PEN International Day of Imprisoned Writers

For Press Release
15 November 2012

Two Writers Honoured Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award

Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC) has honoured two imprisoned writers, Dolma Kyab and WU Yilong, the laureates of ICPC’s Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award in 2012 for their long-term tenacity and courage in writing regardless of imprisonments. Besides, ICPC have named 8 new honorary members – CHEN Xi, GAO Zhisheng, Tashi Rabten, Kunchok Tsephel Gopey Tsang, Kunga Tseyang, Gangkye Drubpa Kyab, RAO Wenwei and LI Bifeng. Continue reading

Announcement of Nomination for Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award

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 International PEN 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

A Letter to the British Council on the London Book Fair

Press release

Dear Madams/Sirs

It has come to our attention that for this month’s London Book Fair that you have invited the Administration of Press and Publication of the People’s Republic of China (GAPP-PRC), which has long banned the works written by a large number of dissident writers, among them Dr. Liu Xiaobo, laureate of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize and the former and honorary president of Independent Chinese PEN Centre. The GAPP-PRC has carefully selected 181 publishers and 31 official writers to present its own achievement in government-approved and censored literatures. Continue reading

ICPC Statement to Protest Severe Sentence of Its Member Zhu Yufu

10 February, 2012

Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC) is alarmed to have learnt that its member Mr. ZHU Yufu has been sentenced this afternoon by Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court, Zhejiang Province in eastern China, to 7 years imprisonment with further 3 years deprivation of political rights for “inciting subversion of the state power “ after the trial on 31 January. The conviction based on his speech published in the overseas Chinese websites, and interviews with the foreign media and collecting money for other prisoners of conscience.

Continue reading

Condolence to Mr. Václav Havel from the Independent Chinese PEN Center

Dear Jiri, dear Igor and the friends of the Czech PEN,

The Independent Chinese PEN (ICPC), my Chinese colleagues and I are deeply saddened that Mr. Václav Havel has passed away on December 18th.

Mr. Havel was a great humanist. His humanity illuminated both his literary and political achievements. As a past victim of the communist-dictatorship, he set up an example, how powerful a powerless is in fighting for the freedom and human dignity.Havel’s spirit and courage have inspired generations of Chinese intellectuals. People devour his books and speeches. The former president of ICPC, Mr. Liu Xiaobo,has been a follower of Mr. Havel ever since he was a young writer in the 80s. He has modeled Charter 77 and initiated with others the Charter 08 in searching for a democratic future of China in 2008. After Liu’s arrest and sentence, Mr. Havel has shown his solidarity with Liu Xiaobo and appealed repeatedly for his release. He also nominated Liu to Noble Peace Prize. On December 10th this year, despite his bad health, Mr. Havel still lauched the Forum 2000 Conference in Prague, a roundtable focused on the democracy and human rights situation in Asia as well as in commemoration of the first anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Liu Xiaobo.The world and the Chinese intellectuals will keep Václav Havel in their memory as paragon and friend. The world becomes more beautiful and dignified because of you.

In deep condolence and gratitude

Tienchi Martin-Liao

President of the Independent Chinese PEN Center
Continue reading

ICPC Statement on PEN International Day of Imprisoned Writers

For Press Release

Three Writers Honored To Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Awards

On 15 November 2011, Independent Chinese PEN Centre (ICPC) announced that three imprisoned writers, Hada, QIN Yongmin and CHEN Wei, were honored as this year’s laureates of its Liu Xiaobo Courage to Write Award for their long-term tenacity and courage in writing regardless of repeated imprisonments; Besides, ICPC have granted 9 new honorary members, CHEN Wei, LI Tie, Memetjan Abdulla, WANG Lihong (Female), Jangtse Donkho, Buddha, Kalsang Jinpa, Dokru Tsultrim, and WEN Yan (aka SUN Buer). Continue reading

ICPC’s Road of A Decade: Harmony Within Differences

By Ma Jian

This year, Independent Chinese PEN Centre is 10 years old. It has developed from 30+ members to nearly 300, from a baby starting its steps to the one going to the world, having experienced all the ups and downs of growth. Today, I will only talk about my personal experience at ICPC Board as I may be the only founding member there. Continue reading