More Than One Thousand Petition for Release of Chinese Author

On December 8, 2008, Chinese authorities arrested Independent Chinese PEN Center board member and author Liu Xiaobo. Since his imprisonment, 1092 supporters around the world have signed a petition for his release. According to the PEN American Center, the Chinese author was arrested for the crime of ‘inciting subversion of state power’ by writing about political reform in China.

Xiaobo is speaking in the video above. In 1989, he joined the pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square. Seven years later Xiaobo was sentenced to three years in a labor camp for writing another document that criticized Chinese government’s policies.

PEN American Center is soliciting more signatures. Here’s more from the Free Liu Xiaobo Petition: “His case illustrates the lengths the Chinese government will still go to stifle free expression, and the determination of Chinese writers to fight for this most basic right. We stand with them in their struggle. Take action now to help free Liu Xiaobo and send a message to the Chinese government that words are not a crime.”

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