This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/01/world/asia/wang-xiaoning-chinese-dissident-in-yahoo-case-freed.html
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Chinese Dissident, Jailed on Evidence Provided by Yahoo, Is Freed | Chinese Dissident, Jailed on Evidence Provided by Yahoo, Is Freed |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| SHANGHAI — The Chinese dissident who served 10 years after being convicted of state subversion on evidence provided by the American Internet giant Yahoo is under sharp restrictions, his wife said Friday, after he was released and returned home. | SHANGHAI — The Chinese dissident who served 10 years after being convicted of state subversion on evidence provided by the American Internet giant Yahoo is under sharp restrictions, his wife said Friday, after he was released and returned home. |
| The dissident, Wang Xiaoning, 62, was released from the Beijing No. 2 prison. Just after 2 a.m., he was taken to a local police station and told that he was not to speak the news media, not to participate in any protests or demonstrations, and not to give any speeches, and that he would be closely monitored, his wife, Yu Ling, said in a telephone interview. | The dissident, Wang Xiaoning, 62, was released from the Beijing No. 2 prison. Just after 2 a.m., he was taken to a local police station and told that he was not to speak the news media, not to participate in any protests or demonstrations, and not to give any speeches, and that he would be closely monitored, his wife, Yu Ling, said in a telephone interview. |
| “This was not a condition of his release, but he was told to follow these rules,” she said. | “This was not a condition of his release, but he was told to follow these rules,” she said. |
| Mr. Wang, a former engineer, distributed pro-democracy writings using e-mail and Yahoo forums, often anonymously. He was detained on Sept. 1, 2002, and convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” using information the Chinese authorities received from Yahoo. Around the same time, Shi Tao, a Chinese journalist, was convicted of providing state secrets to overseas entities also based on evidence provided by Yahoo’s subsidiary in Hong Kong. He is still in prison. | Mr. Wang, a former engineer, distributed pro-democracy writings using e-mail and Yahoo forums, often anonymously. He was detained on Sept. 1, 2002, and convicted of “inciting subversion of state power” using information the Chinese authorities received from Yahoo. Around the same time, Shi Tao, a Chinese journalist, was convicted of providing state secrets to overseas entities also based on evidence provided by Yahoo’s subsidiary in Hong Kong. He is still in prison. |
| Lawmakers and human rights activists sharply criticized Yahoo for providing information to the Chinese authorities, and for cooperating in investigations involving dissidents. | Lawmakers and human rights activists sharply criticized Yahoo for providing information to the Chinese authorities, and for cooperating in investigations involving dissidents. |
| Yahoo eventually apologized for its role in the case and settled a lawsuit brought by the families of several Chinese activists, paying an undisclosed amount of compensation. | Yahoo eventually apologized for its role in the case and settled a lawsuit brought by the families of several Chinese activists, paying an undisclosed amount of compensation. |
| Yahoo issued a statement on Friday but did not comment directly on Mr. Wang’s release. “Yahoo! condemns political suppression wherever and however it occurs, and we are committed to efforts like the Global Network Initiative that bring together companies, human rights groups and other stakeholders to actively promote free expression and privacy on the Internet,” the statement said. “We hope that democratic governments around the world continue to push for the release of any individuals targeted for simply expressing their political beliefs.” | Yahoo issued a statement on Friday but did not comment directly on Mr. Wang’s release. “Yahoo! condemns political suppression wherever and however it occurs, and we are committed to efforts like the Global Network Initiative that bring together companies, human rights groups and other stakeholders to actively promote free expression and privacy on the Internet,” the statement said. “We hope that democratic governments around the world continue to push for the release of any individuals targeted for simply expressing their political beliefs.” |
| Ms. Yu said described her husband’s “physical and mental conditions” as “relatively good” but said he had been “a little frail and gasping” when he returned. She noted that he had high blood pressure and that he was not able to get enough exercise in prison. | Ms. Yu said described her husband’s “physical and mental conditions” as “relatively good” but said he had been “a little frail and gasping” when he returned. She noted that he had high blood pressure and that he was not able to get enough exercise in prison. |
| “He was very excited to come out and to be able to see us,” she said. “He didn’t sleep for the whole night until just now.” | “He was very excited to come out and to be able to see us,” she said. “He didn’t sleep for the whole night until just now.” |
| Joshua Rosenzweig, a human rights researcher based in Hong Kong, said Mr. Wang’s case showed how the authorities in China could twist the justice system. “That Wang Xiaoning could be deprived of his freedom for a decade on charges of ‘inciting subversion’ is an unambiguous example of how Chinese authorities misuse laws designed to protect national security in an effort to protect its monopoly on power from being subjected to criticism,” Mr. Rosenzweig wrote in an e-mail. | Joshua Rosenzweig, a human rights researcher based in Hong Kong, said Mr. Wang’s case showed how the authorities in China could twist the justice system. “That Wang Xiaoning could be deprived of his freedom for a decade on charges of ‘inciting subversion’ is an unambiguous example of how Chinese authorities misuse laws designed to protect national security in an effort to protect its monopoly on power from being subjected to criticism,” Mr. Rosenzweig wrote in an e-mail. |
| “The Chinese society Wang re-enters enjoys more space for critical voices than it did a decade ago, but those who express themselves politically continue to risk crossing that invisible line that separates ‘acceptable’ criticism from ‘incitement.’ ” | “The Chinese society Wang re-enters enjoys more space for critical voices than it did a decade ago, but those who express themselves politically continue to risk crossing that invisible line that separates ‘acceptable’ criticism from ‘incitement.’ ” |
Xu Yan contributed research. | Xu Yan contributed research. |
| This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: | This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: |
| Correction: August 31, 2012 | Correction: August 31, 2012 |
An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Wang | An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Wang Xiaoning’s wife as Lu Ying. |