China Jails Internet Dissidents

Four internet activists have been jailed in Beijing for "inciting subversion" by posting messages calling for the reform of Chinese society.

According to a human rights organisation which yesterday quoted reports from their relatives, the men, who had been detained for more than two years, were sentenced to between eight and 10 years.

On Wednesday the journalist Xu Wei reportedly protested to the court that he had been tortured in custody.

The New York-based Human Rights in China organisation reported that Xu then slammed his head against the judge's desk and fell unconscious, and had to be carried out by six police officers.

A copy of the indictment against the men drawn up nearly two years ago says they formed a group which aimed to "actively seek ways to change society".

It says their intent to "subvert the regime" was proved by their call to "be a new citizen [and] reform China", and their claim that "China's current form of democracy is not true democracy".

Xu's colleagues, Yang Zili, Jin Haike and Zhang Honghai, are all said to have complained previously to the court about abusive treatment in detention.

Their conviction follows a five-year sentence passed 10 days ago on Huang Qi, a dissident in Sichuan arrested three years ago.

He had posted articles by other writers discussing democracy and the 1989 Beijing massacre on his website.