Boxun Reporter Xiang Nanfu Released on Bail

62-year-old Xiang Nanfu is to be released from jail. He was arrested in early May for the crime of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” Moreover he was charged with the crime of “Incitement through long-term working for a foreign website and large-scale fabrication of false news,” and “seriously damaging the image of the state.”

In related news, Shenzhen police arrested a Hong Kong media worker for assisting in arranging an interview with now-jailed lawyer Pu Zhiqiang. The reporter was accused of being an informer for a foreign website, “blackening the name of the nation” and other related charges.

On Tuesday, August 19 Beijing police announced that due to illness, admission of guilt and showing of penitence, Xiang Nanfu will be released from custody on bail. 

Boxun Media announced that it welcomed the release of Xiang Nanfu, but also condemns Chinese official media for “continuing its habit of fabricating rumors.” 

Boxun‘s statement also says: “We hope that the release from custody on bail of Xiang Nanfu is a good start to the nation’s future. Restrain corruption and other repulsive social phenomena, and all detained free speech advocates in the whole country should be released and the repression and censorship of expression and press should stop.”

Boxun’s statement describes Xiang Nanfu as its correspondent and again refutes Xinhua and People’s Daily charges that Xiang Nanfu received a “large amount of US dollars” from Boxun.

On the Beijing police microblog, netizens comments included many charges of “defecting to the enemy and betraying your country,” “take severe measures against,” calls for “ruthless punishment” and questions about the police decision. 

Radio Free Asia previously reported that Xiang Nanfu had appointed rights defense lawyer Mo Shaoping to represent him. But because a family member of one of Mo Shaoping’s law partners Ma Gangquan feared government retribution, the case was refused. This resulted in Xiang Nanfu having no legal representation. Petitioners who’d previously had contact with Xiang Nanfu were summoned to court for questioning in late July. (This is from BBC Chinese, translated by Boxun)