VOA Highlights Plight of Chinese Internet Dissident

The federally-supported international broadcasting service Voice of America had one of the first exclusive interviews with the wife of an imprisoned Chinese Internet dissident, Wang Xianoning, whom the Chinese government sentenced in 2003 to 10 years in prison for posting “subversive” Internet articles.

The Chinese government tracked down Xianoning with the help of Sunnyvale, California-based email provider Yahoo!, human rights groups contend. Xianoning's wife, Yu Ling, talked to a Voice of America reporter at Dulles International Airport outside Washington, D.C. In the interview, Yu said she has come to Washington to sue Yahoo! for damages and demand an apology. According to the VOA, a Yahoo spokesman says Yahoo must obey a country's laws if they want to operate in that country. Wired Magazine yesterday also posted a story on Yu Ling's efforts.