Ai Weiwei Freed after 2 Months in Prison

Ai Weiwei: Artist Released on Bail amid Global Outcry

Chinese artist and dissient Ai Weiwei was released from prison on bail after being held for two months. Ai Weiwei confirmed his release via phone, but could not say any more about his case.

The Chinese government arrested Ai Weiwei without charge, and tried to erase him from China's digital memory. Upon Weiwei's release, The state-run New China News Agency said that Ai was set free  "because of his good attitude in confessing his crimes as well as a chronic disease he suffers from."

Ai Weiwei had to "confess" to tax evasion by his company, Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., though, as stated above, he was never charged with any crime-- he was simply arrested.

Liu Xiaoyuan, Ai Weiwei's lawyer, said that the government hasn't yet revealed how much money Beijing Fake Cultural Development supposedly owes.

The release of Ai Weiwei comes just ahead of a visit to London by Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao. Coincidence? Maybe, but the Tate Modern, which is exhibiting Ai's work, was sporting a massive "Free Ai Weiwei" banner.

Human Rights Watch applauded Ai's release, but reminded us that, for every famous artist, there are unknown numbers of ordinary people who get summarily arrested in China for speaking out against the government: "Sadly, other Chinese citizens less well-known than Ai Weiwei who have been forcibly disappeared since mid-February remain incommunicado, whereabouts unknown and at high risk of torture."

Photos

Ai Weiwei and his 'Sunflower Seeds'

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