Cyber Dissident Arrested In 2016 Finally On Trial

Mainland's first "cyber-dissident", whose website reported on sensitive topics including human rights, is expected to go on trial on Monday amid fears he is in bad health, sources familiar with the matter said.

Huang Qi was arrested in 2016 for "leaking state secrets" and has since been held at the Mianyang Detention Centre in Sichuan province – his home region – without a trial date.

Calls to the Mianyang Mianyang Intermediate People's Court, which is handling the case, went unanswered.

"American diplomats attempted to attend Huang Qi's trial but were denied access to the courtroom," said a US embassy spokesperson.

Several activists who said they were travelling to Mianyang to attend the trial said police were stopping them en route on Monday morning.

Huang ran a website called "64 Tianwang" – named after the bloody June 4, 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protesters.

The site, which has reported on local corruption, human rights violations, and other topics rarely seen in ordinary mainland media, is blocked on the mainland.

A volunteer at "64 Tianwang" said that he was taken away "on holiday" on Saturday by Sichuan police, who cited the cyber-dissident's trial that was due to start this week.

"I am worried [for his safety]," the volunteer said on condition of anonymity. "But Huangqi is very proud, he won't surrender."

Fourteen non-profit organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Freedom House, released a statement last November saying Huang was in danger of dying in police custody if he does not receive medical treatment for a host of severe health conditions.

Rights activists and lawmakers in Hong Kong had held several protests over the last two years, calling for the release of Huang. (AFP)