The Wire

The internet was always supposed to be a place of refuge for those supporting freedom of speech and democratic ideals. Any illusions that that was ever that case in China were smashed this month when Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang admitted his company had provided information to Chinese authorities that helped jail journalist high profile Chinese journalist Shi Tao. Earlier this year, Shi Tao was sentenced to 10 years in prison after Chinese authorities claimed he had emailed top secret information to websites in the US. Responding to allegations by Reporters without Borders that Yahoo HK had provided Chinese authorities Shi Tao’s IP address and phone number, Mr Yang, claimed the move was justified because the company had to abide by local laws. However, human rights watchdog Privacy International, is calling for a boycott of Yahoo, while Reporters Without Borders has said it will ask institutional shareholders to raise the issue of the company’s behaviour with its management. In this story we hear from a Chinese journalist that spent three years in for writing articles critical of the Chinese Government’s treatment of Falun Gong practioners while Reporter’s without Borders Washington representative, Lucie Morilllon explains what Shi Tao allegedly did to land himself 10 years in jail.