From the New York Times (link)
Lawyers for a jailed Chinese researcher for The New York Times asked prosecutors this week to immediately release him in order to comply with a surprise court decision that withdrew the case against him.
The lead lawyer, Mo Shaoping, visited the researcher, Zhao Yan, today at the Beijing detention center where he has been incarcerated for the past 18 months on charges of fraud and disclosing state secrets to The Times. Mr. Zhao, 44, has denied the charges.
“I told him that he should be released very soon,” Mr. Mo said. “He was quite happy.”
But it remained unclear if Chinese authorities truly intend to release him. Prosecutors in Beijing did not answer telephone calls seeking comment. Today, members of Mr. Zhao’s family waited nearly four hours at the prosecutors’ office but were not allowed to meet with authorities overseeing the case.
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