China detains an American practitioner of the banned Falun Gong [ ]. Also, an Australian member of the group will be released Thursday after a weeklong detention in China.
A U.S. embassy spokeswoman said Thursday that Chinese police detained Chuck Lee, an American citizen, on charges of sabotaging television and radio broadcast systems in China.
The embassy spokeswoman in Beijing said police in the southern city of Guangzhou took Mr. Lee into custody on January 22 and several days later transferred him to a detention center west of Shanghai.
She said a U.S. consulate official visited Mr. Lee on Tuesday, and he appeared healthy.
[ ]
Falun Gong spokeswoman Sophie Xiao in Hong Kong expresses dismay over Mr. Lee's detention. Ms. Xiao said the charges against Mr. Lee could carry a penalty of 15 years in prison.
"We really feel shocked because this persecution is not only being applied to Chinese citizens," she said. "Now the persecution against the Falun Gong has extended to foreign nationals."
In fact, police in the southwestern city of Chengdu last week detained an Australian member of Falun Gong, Ms. Xiao said.
The Australian embassy spokesperson in Beijing says Thursday it sent an official to meet the woman, Nancy Chen, and that they expect her release on Thursday.
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