What Obama's new best friends are up to

While Barak Obama was pledging "co-operation, not confrontation" with the PRC (1), Alimujiang Yimiti is due to go on trial for allegedly "instigating separatism and stealing, penetrating, purchasing and illegally providing state secrets or intelligence to overseas organisations and individuals" (2).

He has been held in captivity for over a year and the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has declared his detention to be arbitrary.

Astronishingly, the decision of the court has already been decided. His wife and mother - who is forbidden to attend the trial - has been informed "he will not be released without charges" (3).

I do not share Alimujiang Yimiti's beliefs but - unlike the Bastards of Beijing and, it seems, Barak Obama - I cherish his right to hold them.

1 - "Obama declares new era of co-operation with China," by Martin Crutsinger, published by Associated Press, reproduced in The Independent, 28th of July, 2009. (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/obama-declares-new-era-of-cooperation-with-china-1763489.html)
2 - "China: Uighur Christian faces trial for 'revealing state secrets'," unattributed article, posted on www.christian today.com, published 27th of July, 2009. (http://www.christiantoday.com/article/china.uighur.christian.faces.trial.for.revealing.state.secrets/23883.htm)
3 - ibid.