Writer Zhang Jianhong released on medical parole

June 10th, 2010

Zhang Jianhong, prominent writer and member of the Independent Chinese PEN Centre, was released on medical parole on 5 June.  Zhang was sentenced to six years in prison in March 2007  for writing articles critical of the government. He had been diagnosed with a progressive degenerative disease of the central nervous system and his condition rapidly deteriorated in prison.  Repeated requests for medical parole had previously been denied.