IPA calls on China to release Xu Xiao

The International Publishers Association has called on China's government to release Xu Xiao, a prominent publisher, writer and editor, and 2014 IPA Freedom to Publish Prize nominee.

Xu was arrested on 26th November during a crackdown on writers, journalists, publishers and civil society activists seen to be supportive of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.

Xu, chief editor of Caixin Studio and New Century publications, is being held in Beijing's number one Detention Centre on suspicion of "endangering national security". In October, it was reported that she had been included on a list of writers whose works had been banned by China's General Administration of Press and Publications.

IPA Freedom to Publish chair Ola Wallin said: "Xu Xiao has contributed enormously to Chinese publishing during the last thirty years. Today she is being persecuted for doing her job, and for peacefully exercising her right to free expression. This new wave of state repression is misguided and dangerous. China must immediately release Xu Xiao."

IPA policy director José Borghino called for the unconditional release of "all the writers and publishers who have been unjustly arrested, including independent publishers and bookstore owners Xue Ye and Liu Jianshu".

He added: "The IPA respectfully points out that Article 35 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides for freedom of speech. Whatever the Chinese government's problem is with democracy protests in Hong Kong, arresting their native publishers and bookstore owners is no sort of solution."