European Union calls for release of Hu Jia: Spokesman

The European Union called for the immediate release of Chinese activist Hu Jia, who was jailed earlier Thursday for three and a half years on charges of subversion.

"We said very clearly before the trial that he should not have been detained in the first place and that he should be released and this remains our position," said William Fingleton, the European Union spokesman in Beijing.

Hu, 34, was sentenced at a court in Beijing after he was found guilty of "incitement to subvert state power" following a one-day trial last month.

"We believe that the charges of subversion against peaceful expression of opinion are not in line with the (UN) Convention on Civil and Political Rights which the Chinese government has committed to respect," said Fingleton.