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Online journalist imprisoned

Posted: 11/04/03 By: Elizabeth Croad

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Reporters Sans Frontieres, the press freedom activists, are renewing their call for the release of a Chinese cyber-dissident this week (7 April 2003) after nearly three years in prison.

Accused of 'trying to overthrow the government', Huang Qi was arrested on 3 June 2000, the day before the 11th anniversary of the Tienanmen Square massacre.

Mr Qi had posted articles about the massacre, written by exiled dissidents, to his web site www.tianwang.com and also reported on people who had disappeared from the country.

Although the Chinese government announced at the beginning of this month (April 2003) that it had made progress on human rights, Mr Qi has not seen his family since his imprisonment. Released cellmates have also said he was beaten regularly and refused medicine.

His trial ended more than 18 months ago but as yet no verdict has been announced.

Source:
http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=5825

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