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US and Britain join other nations in criticising China’s jailing of ‘cyber dissident’ Huang Qi
- The Chinese reporter and activist, who this week was sentenced to 12 years in prison, should be released immediately, US State Department says
- Britain’s minister of state for human rights says the case raises ‘strong concerns about media freedom, due process and the rule of law in China’
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The United States and Britain have joined a growing chorus of international governments expressing concern about China’s sentencing of an online activist to 12 years in prison.
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Huang Qi, who founded the 64 Tianwang website reporting on corruption, human rights violations and labour issues in China, was handed the jail term this week in a Sichuan court after being convicted for leaking and selling state secrets to foreign entities.
On Thursday, the US State Department said that Huang’s imprisonment underscored “China’s continued repression of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including free speech”, and called on authorities to release him immediately.
“We urge the Chinese government to uphold its international commitments related to fair trial guarantees and the rule of law,” State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.
The sentence marks the third time the 56-year-old activist, who suffers from chronic kidney disease, has been imprisoned.
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