Li Zhi, China
Li Zhi, a blogger and financial official in the Dazhou municipal government, was arrested in August 2003 by provincial State Security Police after he accused Sichuan officials of corruption. Zhi’s article was posted on an overseas website, so he was charged on September 3 with “conspiracy to subvert state power” for contact with foreign-based dissidents. On December 11, he was sentenced to eight years in prison. The sentence was upheld on appeal on February 26, 2004. Li is thought to be suffering from a worsening Hepatitis B condition. The court verdict confirms that both Yahoo! and Sina Beijing supplied evidence to the prosecution. In November 2008 it was reported that his sentence had been reduced by one year, and that a further reduction was expected in 2009.

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