Chen Shaowen is a Chinese web author who posts essays on his personal website that are critical of the ruling Communist Party in China. The former police officer who was fired for supporting pro-democracy movements was arrested by the Chinese Communist dictatorship on two occasions for “slandering the Chinese Communist Party” by writing articles that, among other things, say, “... for 50 years, the Chinese Communist Party has fooled people, brainwashed people and carried out crude political rule.” He could face up to thirteen years in prison. In his essays, he calls for independent labor unions, something China frowns upon, since they tolerate only government-run labor unions.

Shaowen's case represents a growing control of the media by the government in China, including the censorship of websites such as Google and AltaVista. These sites link to websites operated by the Falun Gong, an outlawed religious sect, and human rights groups who criticize China's treatment of the Falun Gong and the Tibetan people.

Forgive me for linking to the outside, but this website proved to be an invaluable source of information about Shaowen and also a vital resource for those who wish to get involved: Committee to Protect Journalists: www.cpj.org

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