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Chinese artist Ai Weiwei sets up live webcams at home | Chinese artist Ai Weiwei sets up live webcams at home |
(1 day later) | |
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has set up href="http://weiweicam.com" >four live webcams at his home, in a nod to the 24-hour police surveillance he has lived under for the last year. | |
Mr Ai was detained in April 2011 during a crackdown on political activists and is now banned from leaving Beijing. | Mr Ai was detained in April 2011 during a crackdown on political activists and is now banned from leaving Beijing. |
The artist told the AFP news agency that by installing the cameras - including above his bed - he hoped to encourage transparency from all sides. | The artist told the AFP news agency that by installing the cameras - including above his bed - he hoped to encourage transparency from all sides. |
He is currently fighting tax evasion charges related to his company. | He is currently fighting tax evasion charges related to his company. |
The charges were brought against his company, Fake Cultural Development Ltd, when he was released from detention last June. | The charges were brought against his company, Fake Cultural Development Ltd, when he was released from detention last June. |
'Politically motivated' | 'Politically motivated' |
Mr Ai said he had had "no clear answers" about why he was been charged and placed under surveillance. | Mr Ai said he had had "no clear answers" about why he was been charged and placed under surveillance. |
"In my life, there is so much surveillance and monitoring... our office has been searched, I have been searched, every day I am being followed, there are surveillance cameras in front of my house," he told the AFP news agency. | "In my life, there is so much surveillance and monitoring... our office has been searched, I have been searched, every day I am being followed, there are surveillance cameras in front of my house," he told the AFP news agency. |
"So I was wondering, why don't I put some [cameras] in there so people can see all my activities. I can do that and I hope the other party can also show some transparency." | "So I was wondering, why don't I put some [cameras] in there so people can see all my activities. I can do that and I hope the other party can also show some transparency." |
Last week, Chinese authorities upheld an earlier decision to force Mr Ai's design company to pay a $2.4m (£1.55m) fine imposed by the tax bureau for ''back taxes''. | Last week, Chinese authorities upheld an earlier decision to force Mr Ai's design company to pay a $2.4m (£1.55m) fine imposed by the tax bureau for ''back taxes''. |
Activists have argued that the charges are politically motivated, as the internationally-renowned artist has at times been an outspoken critic of the government. | Activists have argued that the charges are politically motivated, as the internationally-renowned artist has at times been an outspoken critic of the government. |
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