Defendant: Shi Tao
- Background: 37 year old journalist working for Contemporary Business News in Hunan province in Southern China. E-mailed foreign-based websites a text message from authorities warning his newspaper of the dangers of social destabilization and risks resulting from reporting on the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre.
- Charges: Arrested in 2004 for illegally providing top state secrets to overseas organizations.
- Verdict: Found Guilty and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
- Incriminating Evidence: Yahoo provided China state security authorities with information that helped identify and convict him.
- Aftermath: Yahoo was sued by the families of not only Shi Tao, but also Wang Xiaoning, another dissident jailed thanks to the Yahoo Corporation. Yahoo has recently settled out of court with both families. However, it took heavy criticism by Congress for the Yahoo to finally choose to settle the case out of court. Yahoo has promised that it will try to help release the dissidents from jail.
Defendant: Wang Xiaoning
- Background: 57 year old engineer who had been using the Internet to criticize the Chinese government. In 1999, Wang had a run in with the police over his online journal which promoted democracy and criticized corruption. The Chinese Public Security Bureau confiscated Wang's possessions without warrant, citing a "violation of administrative laws." Wang continued on with his activities though, and in 2000 he submitted essays to internet journals and also created electronic journals though Yahoo!Groups. Wang even distributed 25 editions of a current political commentary on China. Yahoo subsequently noticed the political content of his works and barred him from further distributing them through the group. This still did not stop Wang from sending six more editions to individual members e-mail addresses, as well as send pieces of it to overseas websites such as the "Democracy Forum," as he advocated for democratic reform and openly criticized government repression of peasants and trade union leaders.
- Charges: In 2002, The Public Security Bureau paid Wang another visit and confiscated his computer files and email records. He was later arrested and charged with "incitement to subvert state power."
- Verdict:Wang was found guilty of these charges and sentenced to ten years in prison. His appeal in 2004 was rejected. Wang is currently being held in Beijing Municipal Prison. He has been subjected to physical torture.
- Incriminating Evidence: Yahoo once again came to the aide of the Chinese authorites in this case as it provided email address thorugh which Wang sent messages through its group.
- Aftermath:See Aftermath of Shi Tao Case
Yet Another Case
Defendant: Zhang Jianhong
- Background: Previously served as the editor of a commentary website which was founded in 2005 and contained many articles discussing politically sensitive subjects. In 2006, authorities determined Zhang was publishing his stories without permission and shut it down (need a license to publish news stories). Zhang continued to publish commentary on overseas chinese language websites under the pen name of "Li Hong." Zhang was arrested later in 2006.
- Charges: Incitement to subvert state's power
- Verdict: Zhang was found guilty and sentenced to six years in prison
Still More Cases
