Thursday, April 03, 2008

China jails prominent activist

The Guardian, 3, 200
Tania Braningan
in Beijing

A Chinese court has jailed one of the government’s most prominent critics for three and a half years on subversion charges, prompting an international outcry.

The US immediately criticised the ruling and the European Union called for the release of Hu Jia, a dissident who has pursued issues ranging from democratic rights, support for Aids sufferers and self-determination for Tibet.

Human rights groups also put pressure on the International Olympic Committee - currently in Beijing to finalise arrangements for the August games - to speak out about the repression of activists.

They warned that Hu’s sentencing this morning reflected a systematic crackdown on critics ahead of the Olympics, pointing out that he is the third activist to be convicted on the same charge in just two months.

The 34-year-old had been held under house arrest in his flat at the Freedom City complex for more than 200 days before his detention in December. During this time he made a video diary showing the intense scrutiny he was subjected to. His wife and baby daughter remain under house arrest.

Continued . . .

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