China arrests prominent dissident

The Internet activist and his wife were already under house arrest for criticizing the government online. As the Olympics approach, such detentions are on the rise.

BEIJING — In what human rights activists are calling a pre-Olympics crackdown on criticism, a leading dissident has been arrested here on charges of “subverting state authority.” The 34-year-old activist, Hu Jia, is among the best known in a new generation of Chinese online dissidents, blogging about issues such as the treatment of AIDS patients and the Tibetan antelope. [continues...]

By Barbara Demick, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
December 30, 2007