On the 19th anniversary of the crackdown on students and other peaceful pro-democracy protestors in Tiananmen Square, hundreds gathered to commemorate those who lost their lives on that tragic day. English PEN and other free expression advocates called for greater freedom of expression in China during a peaceful demonstration outside the Chinese Embassy in London on the evening of 4 June.  

Written by the Writers in Prison Committee, PEN

Almost 19 years after what the Chinese authorities now refer to as a ‘political incident’, the authorities have yet to carry out an independent inquiry into what happened, and have failed to respond to long-standing calls for justice by the victims and their families or to provide them with compensation. Furthermore, the Chinese government’s official ban on reporting the tragic events of 4 June 1989 continues to stifle public debate over the issue.

Dozens still imprisoned
As the 19th anniversary approached, English PEN strongly urged the Chinese authorities to ensure greater respect for freedom of expression and information by lifting this ban. Dozens of people are believed to remain in prison in the People´s Republic of China in connection with their involvement in the 1989 pro-democracy movement, and there are also a number of people who have been imprisoned more recently as a result of having called for greater public debate on the events of 4 June 1989 or for criticising official policy on the issue. PEN continues to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those still detained, including English PEN Honorary Member, Shi Tao, who was sentenced to ten years´ imprisonment on charges of illegally providing state secrets overseas, having sent a brief of an official Communist Party memorandum concerning coverage of the 15th anniversary of the military crackdown in Tiananmen Square to an overseas website.

Speakers at the demonstration included Carole Seymour-Jones, Chair of the Writers in Prison Committee, English PEN, Kate Allen, Director, Amnesty International UK, and Ze Xia, Director of Friends of Tiananmen Mothers in the UK.

There was a minute´s silence to mourn the victims of the May earthquake.