CHINA FOCUS: 5 August 2008

International PEN's China Focus features monthly actions on freedom of expression issues in China in the run-up to the Beijing Olympic Games which open on 8 August 2008. For more information on the campaign and how to take part please visit the International PEN website: PEN China Campaign. Also go to the International PEN Poem Relay (a Sydney/Swiss German PEN initiative), www.penpoemrelay.org, and ‘We Are Ready For Free Expression' (an American, Canadian and Independent Chinese PEN initiative), www.pen.org .

NEW ARRESTS

In July 2008, International PEN recorded a further two new arrests of dissident writers:

Dissident writer and member of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre Du Daobin was detained on 21 July 2008 for apparently violating the conditions of his probation. Du Daobin was previously arrested in October 2003 and sentenced to three years in prison on subversion charges for his online critical writings, but was released conditionally in June 2004 after eight months in prison. He is now thought to be required to serve the remainder of his sentence. (RAN 37/08)

Wei Zhenling, a freelance reporter for the Zhejiang Qingnian Bao (Zhejiang Youth Newspaper) and activist from Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, was reportedly detained on 25 July 2008 on suspicion of "inciting subversion of state power" for his online critical reports and activism. He remains detained as of 5 August 2008.

***Total detained 43***