Liao Yiwu (August 4, 1958 - ), a renowned poet, writer and folk artist, was arrested in 1990 for his poem memorializing the victims of June 4th Massacre, and eventually sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for “counter-revolutionary crimes”.

Poet and co-founder of Independent Chinese PEN Center

Dis_Local is a platform that brings together Venezuelan architects and urban disciplines in different latitudes with a network of global cooperation. We want to build and not simulate reality focused on the peripheral world. 

Du Daobin (born Du Daohui, December 18, 1963-), a government official, internet writer and freelancer, was arrested in 2003 for internet writings and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for “inciting subversion of state power”.

Yang Tongyan (April 12, 1961 - November 5, 2017), a famous dissident writer and social activist better known as Yang Tianshui, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for “subverting state power” because of his critical essays on overseas websites, as well as his political activism.

Kang Yuchun, a doctor at Beijing Anding Hospital, sentenced to 17 years in prison for political issues in 1992, was released on the 28th October 2003 due to an imprisonment reduction of 5 years and 7 months.

Zhang Lin (June 2, 1963 - ), a dissident writer and social activist, was arrested in 1994 and then sentenced to three years of Reeducation-Through-Labor after contacting foreign journalists about human rights violations near his home village.

Shi Tao (July 25, 1968-), a poet, journalist, editor and writer, was arrested in 2004 after sending an email to the editor of an overseas website summarizing instructions from the General Office of the CPC Central Committee to the newspaper where Shi was employed. He was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment for “illegally providing state secrets overseas”.

Liu Xiaobo (28 December 1955-13 July 2017), a renowned Chinese literary critic, dissident writer and human rights activist, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment for “inciting subversion of state power” based on his writings criticizing Chinese authorities and his participation in drafting and launching Charter 08. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.

Tan Zuoren, a doctor, environmentalist, editor and freelance writer, was arrested in 2009 for publishing a documentary article on the June 4th Massacre after reporting a name list of children killed in the Sichuan earthquake, and was eventually sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for “inciting subversion of state power”.