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/2015/07/10/world/asia/china-frees-zhang-miao-employee-of-die-zeit.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Chinese Employee of German Weekly Is Freed After 9-Month Detention Chinese Employee of German Weekly Is Freed After 9-Month Detention
(about 3 hours later)
HONG KONG — A Chinese news assistant for the influential German weekly Die Zeit was freed on Thursday, her lawyer said, nine months after the police in Beijing detained her after she had returned from helping to report on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.HONG KONG — A Chinese news assistant for the influential German weekly Die Zeit was freed on Thursday, her lawyer said, nine months after the police in Beijing detained her after she had returned from helping to report on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
The news assistant, Zhang Miao, was released from a detention center in eastern Beijing, her lawyer, Zhou Shifeng, said by telephone after meeting Ms. Zhang at the detention center gates. She then left with friends for a celebratory dinner, he said.The news assistant, Zhang Miao, was released from a detention center in eastern Beijing, her lawyer, Zhou Shifeng, said by telephone after meeting Ms. Zhang at the detention center gates. She then left with friends for a celebratory dinner, he said.
“She’s been released, as far as I know, without any conditions,” Mr. Zhou said, citing a notice from the prosecution office. “I think the prosecution wouldn’t accept the public security’s claim that she’d committed a crime, but they delayed making a decision until now.”“She’s been released, as far as I know, without any conditions,” Mr. Zhou said, citing a notice from the prosecution office. “I think the prosecution wouldn’t accept the public security’s claim that she’d committed a crime, but they delayed making a decision until now.”
The abrupt release of Ms. Zhang ended, for now at least, a case that had galvanized criticism of the Communist Party’s tightening of controls on foreign journalists in China and, especially, the news assistants who help them with translation and interpretation, arranging interviews and dealing with the authorities.The abrupt release of Ms. Zhang ended, for now at least, a case that had galvanized criticism of the Communist Party’s tightening of controls on foreign journalists in China and, especially, the news assistants who help them with translation and interpretation, arranging interviews and dealing with the authorities.
Ms. Zhang’s detention drew the loudest criticism in Germany. In January, Die Zeit published a long account of her detention and the pressure that the police in Beijing exerted on Angela Köckritz, the German correspondent who employed Ms. Zhang and took her to Hong Kong last September to help report on the pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted there.Ms. Zhang’s detention drew the loudest criticism in Germany. In January, Die Zeit published a long account of her detention and the pressure that the police in Beijing exerted on Angela Köckritz, the German correspondent who employed Ms. Zhang and took her to Hong Kong last September to help report on the pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted there.
Ms. Köckritz left China last year after undergoing grueling interrogations by the police.Ms. Köckritz left China last year after undergoing grueling interrogations by the police.
But Ms. Zhang’s fate remained unclear until now.But Ms. Zhang’s fate remained unclear until now.
As a Chinese citizen, Ms. Zhang did not have the same protections as accredited foreign journalists, and Die Zeit had not registered her as a news assistant with the government. The magazine said that was to shield her from harassment, but the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the lack of accreditation meant Ms. Zhang was working illegally.As a Chinese citizen, Ms. Zhang did not have the same protections as accredited foreign journalists, and Die Zeit had not registered her as a news assistant with the government. The magazine said that was to shield her from harassment, but the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the lack of accreditation meant Ms. Zhang was working illegally.
The police detained her on Oct. 2 last year, a day after she returned from Hong Kong. Ms. Zhang had shared photos of the demonstrations for unfettered elections there on WeChat, a social media service.The police detained her on Oct. 2 last year, a day after she returned from Hong Kong. Ms. Zhang had shared photos of the demonstrations for unfettered elections there on WeChat, a social media service.
Mr. Zhou, the lawyer, said the police had tried to make a case that Ms. Zhang had been “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a vague charge often used against dissidents. Ms. Zhang said that the police had initially tried to force her into admitting guilt by depriving her of sleep, but her treatment improved after she was moved to another detention center in November, he said. Mr. Zhou, the lawyer, said the police had tried to make a case that Ms. Zhang had been “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a vague charge often used against dissidents. Ms. Zhang said that the police had initially tried to force her into admitting guilt by depriving her of sleep, but her treatment improved after she was moved to the detention center in November, he said.
Mr. Zhou said criticism of the case from the German government and international rights groups may also have helped reinforce prosecutors’ misgivings about taking Ms. Zhang to trial.Mr. Zhou said criticism of the case from the German government and international rights groups may also have helped reinforce prosecutors’ misgivings about taking Ms. Zhang to trial.
“We are all very very happy and relieved,” Ms. Köckritz, the journalist, said by email. “Oh, happy day.”