This article is more than 1 year old

Chinese cyber-dissident jailed

Media group 'outraged'

A Chinese cyber-dissident has been jailed for five years for posting essays and reports - including the lyrics of a punk song - on the net.

Zhang Lin has been behind bars since January this year for posting material which authorities described as "contrary to the bases of the constitution".

A court in Benghu in Anhui province, west of Shanghai, jailed him last week for "violating national security" because he "jeopardised national unity and territorial sovereignty, spread lies and disturbed public order and social stability".

International media rights group Reports Without Borders said it was outraged at the decision and called for his immediate release.

"The Chinese judges were deaf to Zhang's plea of not guilty on the basis of the right to free expression because, in their view, expressing oneself on the internet is a crime that deserves five years in prison," said Reporters Without Borders.

News of this latest crackdown comes as China last month confirmed plans to establish "a long-term mechanism" to monitor internet cafes, which are visited by some 40m people a day.

Over the last couple of years China has closed thousands of net cafes amid fears that they can affect the "mental health of teenagers" while spreading "unhealthy online information". ®

Related stories

China opens net addiction clinic
China hits net gambling hard
14 knifed in Chinese cybercafe attack
China urges ISPs to sign 'self-disciplinary' pact
Chinese youths trash Internet café
China shuts 8,600 cybercafes
Chinese province issues swipe IDs to Internet cafe users
China clamps down on Net cafes again

More about

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like