China yesterday sentenced writer and cyber-dissident Lu Gengsong (呂耿松) to four years in jail for "inciting subversion of state power," his lawyer said.
The Intermediate People's Court in Huangzhou announced the verdict over Lu, a prolific writer on corruption, yesterday morning, his lawyer Mo Shaoping (莫少平) said by telephone.
"We decided beforehand that if he was sentenced we would appeal, so that's definitely what we'll do," Mo said.
PHOTO: AFP
The former lecturer's wife, daughter and two friends were present when the verdict was read at the end of a 15-minute court session, rights group Chinese Human Rights Defenders said in a statement.
BARRED
Police barred other supporters and friends from attending the verdict by either putting them under house arrest or preventing them from entering the courtroom, the group said.
Lu, a 51-year-old freelance writer who was formally arrested in September, has published extensively on graft, including the book Corrupted Officials in China, which appeared in Hong Kong in 2000.
He is also known for disclosing a large number of illegal eviction cases, supporters said.
Lu's arrest was seen by rights groups as part of a major crackdown on dissent amid growing social unrest despite China's pledge to ease curbs on media and individual freedoms ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders said in a report in August that at least 30 journalists and 50 cyber-dissidents were being detained in China for work that angered Chinese authorities.
RELEASED
Also yesterday, China freed a Hong Kong-based reporter for a Singaporean newspaper jailed for five years for allegedly spying for Taiwan after intense lobbying from activists and politicians for clemency ahead of the Olympics.
Ching Cheong (程翔), reportedly in poor health since his detention in 2005 and whose family had pushed for an early release on medical grounds, was expected in Hong Kong yesterday afternoon, a Hong Kong official said.
"We have informed Ching Cheong's family about his release," Susana Kwong, principal information officer for the Chief Executive's office said. But she said the conditions of the release were not clear.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang (
Ching, a reporter for Singa-pore's Straits Times newspaper, was detained in April 2005 and later sentenced to five years in jail in a high-profile case underscoring the country's curbs on the media and dissent. Beijing says strict controls are necessary to preserve stability.
Calls from around the world had persisted for Ching's early release, many citing China's express intention of fostering a more open media environment.
"I wouldn't say it's a surprise, but this news has definitely come all of a sudden," said Mak Chai-ming (
REACTION
Taipei welcomed the release yesterday and called for Beijing to lift all restrictions on the media and free speech.
"Like Mr Ching, many other people have been put under surveillance and house arrest or detained clandestinely by Chinese authorities for covering news or for seeking freedom of speech,'' the Mainland Affairs Council said.
"China has hoped to nurture an image corresponding with that of a rising power," the council said in a statement. "We urge the international community to push the Chinese authorities to remove their control of news and freedom of speech at an early date."
Xinhua news agency has said Ching was convicted of selling unspecified "state secrets and intelligence" to a Taiwanese foundation, which it said was a front for Taiwanese espionage activities in China.
The National Security Bureau has denied using the organization -- known as the Foundation for International and Cross Strait Studies -- for spying, saying it only commissioned the group to conduct academic research.
‘NO SECURITY RISK’: The Railway Bureau reassured the public that the technicians’ activities were limited to technical guidance and did not involve sensitive systems The Railway Bureau yesterday said it had invited eight Chinese technicians to assist with an airport MRT construction project. The bureau issued the confirmation after an Internet user said Chinese nationals had entered the construction zone of Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport’s Terminal 3 project. They asked why “individuals from an enemy state” were allowed access to such a major national infrastructure project, which raised serious concerns over Taiwan’s industrial safety, sensitive systems and information security. The bureau’s Northern Region Engineering Branch Office said subcontractor Taiwan Handle Industrial Co (台灣手把工業) of the Taoyuan airport MRT’s “Contract No. CU05 Project A14 Station Civil, MEP &
A US uncrewed surface vessel (USV) encountered multiple Chinese warships during an autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait, US defense company Seasats said in a statement on Wednesday. Seasats announced that a Lightfish USV had completed the first autonomous transit of the Taiwan Strait. Over five days, the USV traversed the entire length of the Strait while constantly monitoring surface vessel traffic, the company said. The Lightfish encountered multiple Chinese warships, one of which was a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 056 corvette, it said. The Chinese vessels were operating “well within Taiwan’s exclusive economic zone without transmitting their identity via the
GREATER REACH? Auto parts and wood products would face tariffs of up to 15%, matching those targeting the EU, Japan and South Korea, Vice Premier said The US has announced that preferential tariff treatment for Taiwan’s non-semiconductor Section 232 goods would take effect retroactively from May 1, the Executive Yuan said yesterday. The US government yesterday posted a notice on the Federal Register’s public inspection Web site previewing tariff concessions for Taiwan under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Taiwan-US investment after two months of negotiations. The MOU signed on Jan. 15 stipulated three major preferential tariff arrangements: a 15 percent “reciprocal” tariff rate for Taiwan without stacking most-favored nation (MFN) rates; preferential Section 232 treatment for semiconductors and related products; and preferential Section 232 treatment for non-semiconductor
TIT-FOR-TAT: The US allegedly revoked the visa of a Chinese national working at Xinhua News Agency in the US in response to Beijing’s expulsion of Vivian Wang The Presidential Office yesterday condemned China for expelling a New York Times correspondent from Beijing following the newspaper’s interview with President William Lai (賴清德), saying the move highlighted Beijing’s suppression of press freedom and its threat to international news media. Taiwan has noted a series of recent incidents in which Beijing used similar tactics to “threaten and pressure international media outlets and journalists,” Presidential Office spokeswoman Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) said in a statement. “This concerns not only press freedom and freedom of expression, but also the safety of journalists, and Taiwan and relevant partners are paying close attention to the situation,” she
RSS