On 05 January, I wrote here that China arrested human rights activist Hu Jia an Internet Journalist at his Beijing home for subverting state authority---maintaining an Internet Blog.Seen here with his wife Zeng Jinyan the two maintained Blogs about the truth of the happenings in China.
Part of China's pre-Olympic Crackdown, Hu Jia was sentenced yesterday to 3 1/2 years in prison for "Inciting Subversion of State Power."
Mr. Hu has been incarcerated more than 200 days since his arrest for spreading "...malicious rumors and committing libel" according to the official news agency Xinhua. Amnesty International has said that, "...it is increasingly clear that much of the current wave of repression is occurring not in spite of the Olympics but because of the Olympics."
This week I have written here that as China prepares for the Beijing Olympics, the free world should not boycott the games or opening ceremonies as China takes great pride in hosting the Summer Games. While one does want to draw attention to the global, political and human rights issues, boycotts are ineffective and only serve to alienate others.
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing expressed its dismay in the verdict and has urged Chinese authorities, "...to seize the opportunity to put its best face forward and take steps to improve its record on human rights and religious freedom."
For more information on Human Rights & Religious Freedom in China, Radio Free China is a news Blog containing information about human rights and religious liberty in China.
To express comments about the continued human rights abuses in China please visit the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China web site or contact Zhou Wenzhong, Ambassador to the USA at: chinaembassy_us@fmprc.gov.cn
