Chinese Journalist Jailed for Speaking Out Against the Government
New York, March 20, 2007—The Committee to Protect Journalists is appalled that freelance writer and former Web site editor Zhang Jianhong was sentenced Monday to six years in prison by a court in Ningbo, in the eastern province of Zhejiang.
Zhang was arrested in September 2006 and charged the following month with “incitement to subvert the state’s authority” for calling for political reform in articles posted online. He founded the literary Web site Aiqinghai in August 2005 and was its editor until authorities shut it down in March 2006 for illegally publishing news.
“It is outrageous that China continues to jail its own citizens for their critical reporting and commentary, even as it gears up to host the Olympic Games in 2008,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We call for this sentence to be overturned and for Zhang Jianhong to be released immediately.” BLOG ENTRY posted on the Committee to Protect Journalists
Zhang was arrested in September 2006 and charged the following month with “incitement to subvert the state’s authority” for calling for political reform in articles posted online. He founded the literary Web site Aiqinghai in August 2005 and was its editor until authorities shut it down in March 2006 for illegally publishing news.
“It is outrageous that China continues to jail its own citizens for their critical reporting and commentary, even as it gears up to host the Olympic Games in 2008,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We call for this sentence to be overturned and for Zhang Jianhong to be released immediately.” BLOG ENTRY posted on the Committee to Protect Journalists