Freedom of Expression

The Rules on Internet Security Protection Technology Measures, which impose new requirements for Web site operators to retain the contents of news they post on the Internet, went into effect on March 1, 2006. The Rules, promulgated by the Ministry of Public Security on December 28, 2005, mandate nationwide data retention standards for Internet service providers (ISPs) and Internet information services (IISs). The Rules require ISPs to:

The Zibo Intermediate People’s Procuratorate in Shandong province, formally indicted businessman Li Jianping on March 7, 2006, on charges of "incitement to subvert state power," according to the procuratorate’s indictment. The indictment specifically alleges that Li "compiled and wrote 31 articles that libeled the socialist system, defamed Party and government leaders, and incited subversion of state power, and used e-mail to send them to ChinaEWeekly, Epoch Times, Democracy Forum, Global Forum, and other Web sites for publishing. Many Web sites reprinted these, and they were disseminated broadly."

Chinese authorities released Cai Lujun from the Shijiazhuang No. 1 Prison in Hebei province, on March 2, 2006, following the conclusion of his three-year sentence for incitement to subvert state power, according to a March 3 Radio Free Asia article (in Chinese). The Shijiazhuang state security bureau placed Cai under residential surveillance on February 22, 2003, detained him on March 3, and arrested him on April 8. The Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court tried Cai in August 2003 and sentenced him to three years in prison in September 2003.

China's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television (SARFT) issued three new notices in mid-September:

The Web sites of Xinhua and the China Youth Daily published an op-ed on January 20 criticizing Hunan provincial authorities' censorship of a politically sensitive critical news report. According to the editorial, on January 16 Xinhua filed a wire report stating that the National Development and Reform Commission had issued an emergency circular criticizing the fact that the work of closing and suspending the operation of unsafe mines was not proceeding according to schedule in 10 provinces.

Less than a week after issuing two notices intended to regulate the political and moral lives of television editors, reporters, and presenters, China’s State Administration for Radio, Film, and Television has issued another notice, this time calling for a crackdown on unauthorized television content and increased screening of discussion and interview programs. Under the "Notice Regarding Strengthening the Supervision of Radion and Television Discussion Programs" that SARFT issued on December 10, Chinese television stations (which are all government-run) must:

Among the Chinese government's "most pressing responsibilities" is controlling "harmful information" on the Internet, according to a September 1 editorial in the official newspaper of the Ministry of Information Industry (MII). The Ministry did not disclose, however, the nature of the "harmful information" it was referring to until September 25, when the MII and the State Council Information Office (SCIO) promulgated the Rules on the Administration of Internet News Information Services (Rules).

Xu Wei and Jin Haike, sentenced to 10-year prison terms for participating in occasional meetings of the New Youth Study Group, a discussion group of young intellectuals, and for disseminating articles over the Internet, will become eligible for parole on March 13. Yang Zili and Zhang Honghai, two other prisoners sentenced for their participation in the group, became eligible for parole on March 13 of last year.

The New Youth Study Group met at several Beijing universities, but had no source of funding, never agreed on a common political platform, and after their first meeting never held another with all members present, according to a April 23, 2004, Washington Post article.