China tries NY Times researcher

BBC World News
June 16, 2006

The trial of New York Times researcher Zhao Yan has ended in Beijing, with no word on when a verdict will be reached.

Mr Zhao, who has been held by the Chinese authorities since September 2004, denied charges of fraud and leaking state secrets.

The trial took place behind closed doors because of its sensitive nature.

Mr Zhao, if convicted of "providing state secrets abroad", faces a minimum of 10 years in jail. Authorities have given no details of the alleged crime.

However Mr Zhao is thought to have been detained in connection with a New York Times report about plans by ex-President Jiang Zemin to retire from his top military post.

At the time, Mr Jiang's intention would have been a closely guarded secret, and any leak regarded as a serious offence.

Mr Zhao, 44, has spent nearly two years in detention, while the authorities decided whether to pursue the case against him.

The charges against him were dropped in March, weeks before President Hu Jintao visited the United States.

But Mr Zhao remained in detention, and the case was revived last month.

>> Read the complete article