By: Imprisoned Chinese journalist Li Changqing has been awarded the World Association of Newspapers' annual press freedom prize, the Paris-based organization said Tuesday.
The award marks the second straight year an imprisoned Chinese journalist has won the Golden Pen of Freedom ? underscoring China's continuing harsh press restrictions despite the flourishing economy and rapid social change.
Li, a former newspaper editor, was sentenced last year to three years in prison for "spreading false and alarmist information." His arrest followed an investigation into a graft-busting bureaucrat that Li promoted in his writings who was later sentenced to life in prison on bribery and embezzlement charges.
Supporters alleged the accusations against the official, Huang Jingao, were trumped up by corrupt officials fearing exposure.
Li had written numerous articles publicizing Huang's anti-graft work and the threats he'd received from corrupt officials in the eastern province of Fujian.
Li was first charged with subversion, but when that failed to stick, prosecutors brought new accusations alleging that Li leaked information about a dengue fever outbreak to an overseas Web site. China generally regards information about disease outbreaks as a state secret.
"The persecution of Mr Li for reporting on a serious health threat reveals the nonsense and bankruptcy of the Chinese regime's controlled press policies," WAN's board said in a statement e-mailed to reporters.
The award will be presented at the World Newspaper Congress and World Editors Forum in Sweden next June.
China is one of the world's leading jailers of journalists, with at least 42 behind bars, many on charges of violating vague security or subversion laws.
Last year's winner of the Golden Pen, Shi Tao, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after e-mailing the contents of a government propaganda circular to a human rights forum in the United States.
Shi's family last week settled a lawsuit against Yahoo Inc., which it accused of illegally helping the Chinese government jail him by handing over his e-mails to authorities.
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