His excellency
Xi Jinping
President of the People’s Republic of China
State Council
Beijing 100032
P.R. China
Your Excellency
PEN Guatemala condemns the conviction and seven-year sentence of journalist Gao Yu. We call for her conviction to be quashed and her immediate and unconditional release as she has been imprisoned for her legitimate professional activities
We expresses serious concern for Gao Yu’s well-being and urging that she is provided with adequate medical treatment. Also, PEN expresses concern that she was shown ‘confessing’ on state television before being tried and that this evidence was used in her trial despite her allegation that this ‘confession’ was made under duress, in contravention of her right to a fair trial;
Finally, our organization remind the Chinese authorities that as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which provides for freedom of legitimate expression, the right not to be arbitrarily detained and the right to a fair trial, China is obliged to ‘refrain from acts that would defeat or undermine the treaty’s objective and purpose.’
CENTRO PEN GUATEMALA
Junta Directiva del Centro PEN Guatemala: Presidente: Carlos René García Escobar. Vicepresidente: Gustavo Bracamonte.Secretaria: Karla Olascoaga. Tesorero: Eduardo Blandón. Vocal I: Hugo Cardona Castillo. Vocal II: Dennis Escobar Galicia.Vocal III: Juan Antonio Canel.