Over forty writers—a group that includes the company of Paul Auster, Teju Cole, Amy Hempel, Dinaw Mengestu, and Andrew Solomon—have teamed up to voice disapproval of China’s policies on freedom of expression.

In a letter to President Xi Jinping, the writers lamented the “at least” 47 writers and journalists currently imprisoned in China, and detailed the circumstances of four Chinese writers: Ilham Tohti, Gao Yu, Liu Xiaobo, and Liu Xia. You can read the full letter on the PEN American Center’s website.

“The imprisonment of writers and journalists damages China’s image abroad and undercuts its ambition to be a strong and respected partner on the world stage,” the letter reads.

“So too does broad official censorship of literature, the news media, and the internet and telecommunications technologies, as it prevents from Chinese citizens from accessing accurate news and information that is in the public interest, and stifles the creativity and diversity of viewpoints that are essential to building a dynamic and competitive economy and culture.”

In other news: according to GalleyCat, Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf joined PEN American Center this week as its new Deputy Director of Public Programs, and will manage PEN’s events for the 2015–2016 season.