Prisoner of conscience released but likely to be muzzled by China

ONE of China’s most prominent prisoners of conscience, Hu Jia, returned home yesterday after completing a jail term for subversion, but looked likely to be muzzled along with other top dissidents.

The human rights activist’s release after more than three years in prison comes after outspoken artist Ai Weiwei emerged in Beijing last week from nearly three months in police custody amid a government crackdown on dissent.

Hu is widely expected to be hit with the same strict curbs as those applied to Ai and a range of other activists and rights lawyers who have apparently been ordered to keep quiet to gain their freedom.