China: PEN International condemns the sentencing of writer and PEN member Zan Aizong to three years in prison
‘The imprisonment of Zan Aizong for peacefully commemorating the life of Liu Xiaobo underscores China’s continued use of vague criminal charges to silence independent writers and erase collective memory. No one should be jailed for a peaceful act of remembrance,’ said Ma Thida, Chair of PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee.
25 February 2026: PEN International condemns the sentencing of independent writer Zan Aizong to three years in prison on charges of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’ under Article 293 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China. The sentence was handed down by a court in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, on 13 February 2026. PEN International calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
Zan Aizong was among several detained after participating in a peaceful riverfront memorial on 13 July 2024 marking the seventh anniversary of the death of Liu Xiaobo, who died in custody in 2017. A prominent writer, founding member and former president of the Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC), and co-author of Charter 08, Liu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010 for his nonviolent struggle for human rights. His legacy remains heavily censored within China.
On 20 July 2024, days after the commemoration, Zan was taken into police custody. He has been held ever since at the Gongshu District Detention Centre in Hangzhou.
The charge of ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’ is routinely used by Chinese authorities to criminalise peaceful expression and target writers, activists, and human rights defenders. Its vague and expansive scope has drawn sustained criticism from international human rights officials, including UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who has called for its repeal.
Zan’s imprisonment highlights the continued repression of independent voices in China and the authorities’ intolerance of even symbolic acts of remembrance. PEN International calls on the Chinese authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Zan Aizong, overturn his conviction, and end the use of vague criminal charges to silence peaceful expression. The organisation further urges the authorities to uphold their obligations under international human rights law, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Background
Zan Aizong is an independent writer and journalist, and a member of the ICPC. He previously worked as a reporter for China Ocean News, a columnist for Sina.com, and has published in outlets including Southern Weekly and China Youth Daily. Moreover, Zan is the recipient of ICPC’s 2006 Lin Zhao Memorial Award. His work focuses on human rights and civil liberties, and he has long faced harassment, including police surveillance, repeated summons, and restrictions on his freedom of movement.
Note to editors:
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