Write a letter to the Chinese government, urging them to release Guo Qizhen, who has been imprisoned in violation of his right to freedom of expression . 

[Date]

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

Mr. Wang Shengjun
President of the Supreme People’s Court
No.27 Dongjiaominxiang
Dongcheng District, Beijing 100745
People’s Republic of China

Your Excellencies:

I am writing to express my deep concern regarding the suppression of the right to freedom of expression in China and to appeal for the release of writer Guo Qizhen.

I understand that Mr. Guo was arrested on May 12, 2006 and charged with “inciting subversion of state power” for 34 articles he published on overseas web sites attacking the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. He was sentenced to four years in prison and three years’ deprivation of political rights on October 17, 2006.  Mr. Guo is being held in Cangzhou Detention Center No. 2 in Heibei Province, and is reportedly nursing a broken leg and is in a fragile psychological state, possibly due to abuse.

Guo Qizhen has been imprisoned for non-violent activities that are protected under Chinese law, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which China is a signatory. I therefore urge you to facilitate his immediate and unconditional release.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

[Your Name and Signature]