FT.com / Asia-Pacific – China jails father of tainted milk victim.
Zhao Lianhai was sentenced to two and a half (more) years in jail for disturbing social order. His crime consists of starting a support group for parents of kids injured by tainted (melamine-containing) baby formula.
“Disturbing social order” consisted of having people hold up signs protesting the court and the formula factory, giving interviews to international news sources, and organizing a gathering of parents at a restaurant.
That’s one scary dude.
Harsher penalties being been meted out to dissidents is associated with the international attention accorded to political reformer Liu Xaiobo. The Chinese government likes to keep a lid on its difficulties.