Chinese democracy activist Hu Jia and his wife Zeng Jinyan were arrested by police on Friday as they were preparing to leave the country.
The couple were to have left China for a couple of weeks to travel to several European countries, including Finland, for speaking engagements. They had been invited by a number of international organisations.
On Friday morning, however, the police picked up Hu and Zeng from their home in Beijing for questioning and announced that a travel ban had been imposed on them.
“The officials told us that we are both now suspected of endangering state security”, Hu reported by phone.
According to Hu Jia, the police noted as the grounds for their suspicions certain press interviews that Hu has given. No charges have been brought as yet. The couple are under house arrest in their Beijing apartment, which is guarded by police officers.
The Chinese Communist government has often used the charge of “endangering state security” about activists and dissidents. In most cases the result has been lengthy prison sentences.
“The government is preventing us from going so that we would not disclose negative information about China ahead of the Olympics”, Hu says. “But this kind of action itself only shows the dark side of the government.”
An extensive report on the life of Hu and Zeng was published in the March issue of Helsingin Sanomat’s monthly supplement Kuukausiliite.
The entire article is available in English at the link below, and is among the weekly material accessible from the front page of the International Edition.
