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Journalist's health deteriorates in forced labour, prison conditions

(RSF/IFEX) - During a four-day visit to France by Chinese Prime Minister Wen, Reporters Without Borders has confirmed that journalist Shi Tao, who is serving a 10-year-prison sentence, is having to do forced labour and is suffering from respiratory problems and a skin inflammation.

Shi, who was convicted of "illegally divulging state secrets abroad" on the basis of information he distributed on Yahoo!, is being forced to work without pay in a jewelry factory attached to Chishan prison in Hunan province. He was transferred there on 5 September 2005 after being held for several months in Taiyuan, in Shanxi province, south-west of Beijing.

According to his family, many of the inmates have pneumonia or other respiratory ailments because of the products used in the cutting and polishing of the jewels and the dust created. The jewelry is sold by the prison authorities. Shi's mother is also worried about his health because he has had ulcers and heart problems for several years.

The prison, located on an island in the middle of Lake Dongting, near the town of Yuanjiang, is a top-security centre reserved for convicts serving sentences of at least 10 years. According to Chinese Rights Defenders Network, most of the inmates are organised crime members, political prisoners and followers of the Falun Gong spiritual movement.

Reporters Without Borders calls on the French authorities to intercede on Shi's behalf. "We must not let the economic and scientific partnership between France and China hide Beijing's repressive policies towards free expression," the organisation said. "We believe that France must stress the need to release prisoners of conscience in the course of its talks with the Chinese authorities."

At least 32 journalists and 62 cyber-dissidents are currently in prison in China.