31 Aug 2012

Chinese activist jailed with Yahoo help freed

10:05 pm on 31 August 2012

A Chinese dissident convicted of subversion with the help of evidence from US internet giant Yahoo has been released from jail.

Wang Xiaoning had been imprisoned for 10 years in a Beijing jail and was freed on Friday.

The former engineer was prosecuted for posting pro-democracy statements online calling for an end to one-party Communist rule and jailed for "incitement to subvert state power", the BBC reports.

The case drew international attention after a court in Beijing revealed that Yahoo had provided evidence used to convict him in 2003.

Yahoo executives later apologised and paid compensation to Wang's family.

However, in testimony before the US Congress they said they had been legally obliged to provide information.

Wang Xiaoning's wife Yu Ling told the BBC her husband was in "good health and fine spirits" but was not allowed to give media interviews under the conditions of his release.

She could not comment on his experience in prison.