Anti-Corruption Reporter Qi Chonghuai Sentenced to 8 More Years in Jail

Press freedom advocates have criticized the Chinese regime for sentencing a journalist to eight more years in jail. Qi Chonghuai was expecting to be released on Saturday after having served a four-year sentence. But on June 9th authorities in northeastern Shandong Province extended his term. They found him guilty of the same charges he was accused of four years ago.

[Jiao Xia, Wife of Qi Chonghuai]:
“How can we accept this? This cannot stand. He hasn’t committed new crimes in prison, why are they sentencing him again and bringing up the charges again? They’re clearly trying to take revenge against him, with the goal of not letting him out.”

After Qi Chonghuai exposed local corruption in 2007, he was convicted of extortion and blackmail. While in prison, he also wrote articles about the ill treatment of inmates, which were published on overseas news services. Qi himself was beaten in prison and forced to do hard labor.

On June 9th, authorities accused him again of extortion and blackmail, plus an additional charge of stealing advertising revenue from a former employer. They found him guilty and extended his sentence to eight more years.

Media advocate, International Press Institute condemned the move. On Monday, its Manager, Anthony Mills called for Qi’s immediate release. Mill said in an online statement, the Chinese regime should encourage journalists to report on corruption, rather than, (quote) “silencing [them] with harsh prison sentences.”

U.S. based Committee to Protect Journalist also criticized the sentence. Its Asia Program Coordinator Bob Dietz said last Friday, “Qi Chonghuai's harsh new sentence underscores that the Chinese legal system is being abused to prevent reporting."