More than 100 Chinese writers have been imprisoned...one-third of all imprisoned writers worldwide

British daily newspaper The Guardian reported on the 1st (local time) that "the number of writers imprisoned by Chinese authorities for violating 'freedom of expression' has exceeded 100 for the first time."
The Guardian cited a recent report by PEN America, a non-profit organization that defends freedom of expression, stating, "In China, public statements and online postings are prohibited.
"It has been confirmed that 107 writers are currently incarcerated due to indictments and other reasons," the report said.
According to the International Journal of Crime and Politics, at least 339 writers around the world have been imprisoned for "exercising freedom of expression."
Of these, China had the largest number of cases with 107.
The "writers" that PEN America refers to include bloggers, social media users, and other such people.
"In China, the people who write articles are often the ones who are being criticized," said James Tager, director of research at Pen America.
"The actual number of people who have actually been punished is certainly much higher than the figures in the report."