China: Artist and dissident Ai Weiwei freed, but must pay 1.85 million

The dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is out of detention, but must pay the government $1.85 million in "back taxes and fines."

• [anansi133]

  It’s absolutely right and fair that those found guilty should pay for their periods of detention and the Information Retrieval procedures used in their interrogations.

  Thank you, Mr Helpmann!

• [bjacques]

  Not only China…

  I remember this one, regarding the Cardiff Three, but not the followup and can’t find any in a search.

• [anharmyenone]

  https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/List_of_Chinese_dissidents

  Pray for them.

• [awjtawjt]

  $1.85 million for freedom and defying the Chinese Imperialist Government? Priceless.

• [benher]

  Ah, the People’s Republic. Taught you well we have!

• [angusm]

  In the old Soviet Union, they used to deal with dissidents by declaring them insane and shipping them off to mental hospitals. Modern tyrannies apparently use the tax code for the same purposes. Either way, it’s clear that the state doesn’t lack for ways to destroy your life if you annoy it enough.

• [MrJM]

  Be thankful I don’t take it all.

• [Anonymous]

  does noone seem to notice they apparently have tortured this guy to max? if u compare video interviews before and after his arrest hes a completely different person. he talks different, his body language is different. hes a broken man. its incredible what they have done and the international community is not doing anything!

  never mind the money, they completely brainwashed this guy. i doubt he ll ever go put on another major exhibition/show. doubt he ll ever to be able to leave the country again as well.