News

DATE=1/20/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-244397 TITLE=CHINA / INTERNET TRIAL (S) BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON DATELINE=BEIJING CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A SHANGHAI COURT HAS HANDED DOWN A TWO-YEAR SENTENCE TO A CHINESE BUSINESSMAN FOR SUBVERSION. HE IS ACCUSED OF SELLING E-MAIL ADDRESSES TO A CHINESE DISSIDENT JOURNAL BASED IN THE UNITED STATES. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS, 30-YEAR OLD LIN HAI HAD PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE SUBVERSION CHARGE AT A HEARING LAST MONTH, SAYING HE HAD ONLY ENGAGED IN A BUSINESS TRANSACTION. TEXT: MR. LIN'S WIFE XU HONG, WHO WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND WEDNESDAY'S CLOSED DOOR HEARINGS, SAYS SHE LEARNED OF THE SENTENCE FROM A COURT OFFICIAL. MS. XU INSISTED THAT HER HUSBAND IS INNOCENT OF SUBVERSION AND WAS ONLY TRYING TO DEVELOP BUSINESS CONTACTS FOR HIS SOFTWARE COMPANY. MR. LIN WAS ARRESTED LAST MARCH, AFTER CHINESE AUTHORITIES DISCOVERED THAT HE HAD SUPPLIED E-MAIL ADDRESSES OF 30-THOUSAND CHINESE COMPUTER USERS TO "V-I-P REFERENCE," A MAGAZINE PUBLISHED ON THE INTERNET BY CHINESE DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS IN THE UNITED STATES. HE WAS ACCUSED OF UNDERMINING THE POWER OF THE STATE AT A HEARING IN DECEMBER, BUT NO VERDICT WAS HANDED DOWN AT THAT TIME. MR. LIN'S SENTENCE COMES AS CHINA IS CRACKING DOWN ON DISSIDENTS AND STEPPING UP ITS MONITORING OF THE INTERNET, WHICH NOW HAS MORE THAN TWO MILLION CHINESE USERS. THE GOVERNMENT HAS ERECTED BARRIERS TO BLOCK INTERNET SITES THAT IT VIEWS AS SUBVERSIVE OR PORNOGRAPHIC. NEB/RW/FC/JO 20-Jan-99 3:44 AM EST (0844 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .