Yahoo’s settlement with the families of jailed Internet writers hasn’t changed the outlook for many dissidents in China, according to The Times:
Yesterday dissidents wanting to share their thoughts with others in China said that the settlement would not reduce the dangers they faced. One man, who has spent most of the past 18 years in jail, said that Chinese wanting to exercise freedom of expression had no choice but to use the internet and thus expose their writings to China’s cyberspace police.
He said: “The point is, the authorities know exactly what is being said and being written by people with dissenting views. They know all these people. The only question is whether they want to pick someone up and jail them.” [Full text]