PEN President, Francine Prose has sent this letter to the membership. I urge the readers of this blog to participate in this drive.

I am writing to ask each and every one of you to stand up and be counted in support of our campaign to free 38 writers and journalists from prison in China.

As part of our We Are Ready for Freedom of Expression campaign, PEN American Center will be delivering a petition to the Chinese Consulate in New York on April 30, 2008–100 days before the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremonies–requesting the release of our jailed colleagues and seeking an end to internet censorship and other restrictions on freedom of expression in China. We want to make sure the name of every single member of PEN American Center is included among the thousands of signatures we are gathering for this petition.

If you have not already done so, please take a moment right now to sign this petition.

Your efforts will make a difference. Since the launch of this campaign on December 10, 2007, four writers and journalists have been released from Chinese prisons.

If you would like to do more, also sign our parallel petition to United States Congress to prohibit U.S. internet companies from helping China censor the internet and jail cyber-dissidents. Visit our campaign page at: www.pen.org/china

With your help and the help of all who support literature and freedom to write, we will free many more of our jailed colleagues before the Olympic Games begin.

Also see

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