Jailed Chinese journalist to sue Yahoo over email

A JAILED Chinese reporter accused of leaking state secrets has joined a US lawsuit claiming internet giant Yahoo helped the government convict dissidents, his mother said yesterday.

Shi Tao, who was sentenced in 2005 to 10 years in prison, is seeking compensation from the California-based company because Yahoo Hong Kong and Yahoo China were accused of providing information to the Chinese authorities that led to his arrest.

Mr Shi, a former writer for the financial publication Contemporary Business News, was jailed for allegedly providing state secrets to foreigners. His conviction stemmed from an email he sent containing his notes on a government circular.

Yahoo has acknowledged turning over data on Mr Shi at the request of the Chinese government, saying employees face civil and criminal sanctions if they ignore local laws.

Mr Shi’s mother, Gao Qingsheng, insisted her son was innocent and the family would press ahead with the legal action.

“We will fight until the end. We sue Yahoo... not for Shi Tao, but to avoid any more innocent people from being prosecuted in the future,” Ms Gao said at a press conference.