In a country with iron-fisted speech policies like China, when bloggers start calling for a full-blown popular uprising, it’s a pretty dangerous time to be a blogger. That’s exactly what writer Ran Yunfei has found, arrested for his anti-government views.
After Middle East revolts sparked some Hey, why not here, too commentary between China’s digital dissident community, the government clamped down hard – Reuters reports over 100 online critics have been arrested or reported missing since Twitter and blog chatter about a “Jasmine Revolution” began circulating last month.
Ran’s been detained for over a month without any reason provided – his formal arrest (for “inciting subversion of state power”) only declared now. It could be months until the full consequences of his arrest are clear, and years in prison are a very real possibility.
It’s always been risky to stick your neck out and speak ill of China’s ruling party – but now seems like particularly dire timing. [Reuters]