Protest Statement of Independent Chinese PEN Center on Continuous Detention of Dr. Liu Xiaobo

Dr. Liu Xiaobo, board member and former president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC), was taken away from home by police on 8th December 2008 for his involvement in drafting “Charter 08” and launching a signature campaign. Since then he has been detained under “residential surveillance” by Beijing authorities without charge and unlawfully kept in an unknown place away from his family who has been so far allowed to see him only twice.

According to ICPC’s information, an officer at Haidian District Branch of Beijing Public Security Bureau today verbally informed Ms. Liu Xia, Dr. Liu Xiaobo’s wife,  that according to an instruction from his superior, Dr. Liu Xiaobo is not to be released as the investigation on him is not to end but to continue.

As a scholar safeguarding independent thoughts and practicing freedom of expression, Dr. Liu has called for the advancement of democratization of the nation through his articles in the past twenty years. Because of that, he has been incarcerated and deprived of personal freedom several times.

Since the launch of the signature campaign, “Charter 08” has received consensus of different strata in the society who wish the nation to implement political reform. “Charter 08” is so moderate, reasonable and constructive that it has drawn increasingly wider support as well as concern on Dr. Liu’s fate.  Dr. Liu’s enjoyment of freedom has been regarded as a yardstick of freedom of expression for all Chinese citizens.

Article 58 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People’s Republic of China stipulated that “the period granted by a People’s Court, People’s Procuratorate or public security organ to a criminal suspect or defendant for awaiting trial after obtaining a guarantor shall not exceed twelve months; the period for residential surveillance shall not exceed six months.” Accordingly, Beijing authorities should have released Dr. Liu on 8th June 2009.

It is outrageous that Dr. Liu remains in detention by Beijing Police despite the time limit of residential surveillance was overdue. To this end, the Independent Chinese PEN Center strongly protests to the Beijing authorities and demands the immediate and unconditional release of Dr. Liu Xiaobo.