Human rights groups protested at the weekend over the arrest of Chinese civil rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang, who gained prominence for his campaign to abolish labour camps on the mainland.
Mr Pu, who suffers from diabetes, was formally arrested by Beijing police on Friday after being accused of “creating a public disturbance” and “illegally obtaining citizens’ personal information”, according to reports in Chinese press.
His arrest, announced by Beijing’s Public Security Bureau on its official microblog, is seen as part of an effort by Chinese authorities to rein in outspoken public intellectuals who use social media and other platforms to raise awareness about human rights in China.