Take Action

Write a letter...

In the spirit of the Olympics and the international cooperation it embodies, Shi Tao’s poem ‘June’ has relayed around the world, country to country, language to language. Shi Tao and 43 other writers remain in prison in China. And this website about a poem remains blocked there.

The PEN Poem Relay has a sent a poetic petition of all the translations to Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Shi Tao and all writers in prison in China. (Download the Press Release and Full Press Kit)

Now we are asking you to write a letter. During the Olympics, take time out to send the Chinese authorities a letter and include a translation of June to your own language.

You can use the letter below as a guide, or write your own. We advise sending the letter through the mail.

You can search for a translation to your language by using the map or Language Bar on our homepage. When you find the text, simply click "Print this" on the lower right hand corner of the page. If we do not have a translation to your language, you may wish to seek out a local poet/translator to do one. (Send it to us when you do! sydney@pen.org.au)

[DATE]

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

Your Excellency,

I write to you today -- while the world’s athletes gather and compete in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games – to express my deep concern that despite official pledges to respect essential rights in this Olympic year, Chinese authorities continue to harass and detain writers in violation of their right to freedom of expression.

Over the past several months, centres of International PEN have arranged translation, recording and video performances of the poem “June” (六月) by the imprisoned Chinese poet and journalist SHI Tao (師涛), into as many of the world’s languages as possible.

On a map of the world on the website “PEN Poem Relay” (www.penpoemrelay.org) the poem travelled virtually around the world, in the spirit of the Olympic Torch Relay with its own appeal for China to honour the right to free expression.

I understand there are currently 44 writers and journalists, including Shi Tao, imprisoned in China for exercising their right to speak and write freely, as guaranteed under Chinese and international law.

These translations represent the solidarity writers and poets around the world have with Shi Tao and all of the writers in prison in China. Each act of translation is both a celebration of Chinese literature and culture and a call for freedom of expression in China.

I have enclosed a translation of June to my own native language and hereby call upon the Chinese authorities to:

• immediately and unconditionally release all writers and journalists currently imprisoned and end the practice of detaining, harassing, and censoring writers and journalists in China
• end Internet censorship and reform laws that are used to imprison writers and journalists and suppress the free exchange of information and ideas on the internet
• abide by China’s pledge that “there will be no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including the Olympic Games”.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

Other things you can do...

We are Ready ...  for Freedom of Expression

We Are Ready for Freedom of Expression includes online petitions, letter writing campaigns and press releases on new developments in the fight for free expression in China. Follow the count of the number of writers in jail with the countdown toward the Beijing Olympics. Sponsored by American PEN, PEN Canada and Independent Chinese PEN Centres.

PEN Canada's We Are Ready Campaign
American PEN's We Are Ready Campaign
English PEN's We Are Ready Campaign

The PEN Poem Relay Facebook Group

If you have a Facebook account, you can now join the PEN Poem Relay Facebook Group. Members will be sent updates on developments in the PEN Poem Relay, including when the poem arrives at a new location and new translations of 'June' become available, and new ways to Take Action on behalf of writers in prison in China.

International PEN Writers in Prison Committee China Campaign

The International PEN website has been re-launched on Monday, March 31 and features actions you can take to campaign for the release of writers in prison in China.

Through its letter-writing campaigns and lobbying of foreign and local governments, PEN seeks to end both custodial and non-custodial forms of repression of writers' free expression. Over the years, many writers have been released from prison, largely due to the international pressure brought about by PEN and other organizations. Nevertheless, these abuses show no sign of abating.

PEN believes there are currently over 44 writers and journalists in Chinese prisons. Help us build international pressure to win their release.