Two activists, who had published censored articles on coronavirus outbreak and have been detained by Chinese officials for two months, are set to face criminal trial, a family member said.&nbsp;

Beijing police have detained Chen Mei and Cai Wei on April 19 for publishing articles on the health crisis on GitHub, an open-source website.

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Chen Kun, Chen Mei’s elder brother, said the families of the activists received phone calls from the Chaoyang public security bureau on Friday informing them they had been formally arrested and were being kept at the Chaoyang District Detention Centre, reported South China Morning Post.&nbsp;

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He further said his family were told that the activists were appointed two lawyers as they had voluntarily sought legal help.&nbsp;

However, Chen doubts these claims, adding, "It’s a clear attempt to keep the family’s hired lawyers from intervening".&nbsp;

"We do not accept the officially appointed lawyers and we believe that this was a last resort for Chen Mei, under pressure and threat from the police. The decision does not represent what he really thinks."

Chen also said that he had already taken services of a lawyer, Liang Xiaojun, who will represent his brother.&nbsp;

Liang said that the activists had been charged with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", a vaguely described charge often used by Chinese officials as a clampdown on activists and dissidents.&nbsp;

Both the detainees have been publishing censored content through their crowdfunded Terminus 2049 project for nearly two years.&nbsp;

Two activists, who had published censored articles on coronavirus outbreak and have been detained by Chinese officials for two months, are set to face criminal trial, a family member said.

Two activists, who had published censored articles on coronavirus outbreak and have been detained by Chinese officials for two months, are set to face criminal trial, a family member said. Beijing police have detained Chen Mei and Cai Wei on April 19 for publishing articles on the health crisis on GitHub, an open-source website. Also read | US lawmakers ask Zoom to clarify China ties after it suspends accounts Chen Kun, Chen Mei’s elder brother, said the families of the activists received phone calls from the Chaoyang public security bureau on Friday informing them they had been formally arrested and were being kept at the Chaoyang District Detention Centre, reported South China Morning Post. Also read | Zoom admits user accounts suspended after Chinese government demanded it He further said his family were told that the activists were appointed two lawyers as they had voluntarily sought legal help. However, Chen doubts these claims, adding, "It’s a clear attempt to keep the family’s hired lawyers from intervening". "We do not accept the officially appointed lawyers and we believe that this was a last resort for Chen Mei, under pressure and threat from the police. The decision does not represent what he really thinks." Chen also said that he had already taken services of a lawyer, Liang Xiaojun, who will represent his brother. Liang said that the activists had been charged with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", a vaguely described charge often used by Chinese officials as a clampdown on activists and dissidents. Both the detainees have been publishing censored content through their crowdfunded Terminus 2049 project for nearly two years.

Chinese activists detained for publishing censored content set to face criminal trial

In China, 3 activists are said to have been detained for sharing "censored coronavirus material". Is Beijing intensifying crackdown on the critics of its coronavirus response?

Gravitas: China: 3 activists detained for sharing censored Covid-19 material

A Beijing-based trio of activists that published censored articles on China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak have gone&nbsp;missing.

Cai Wei, a woman surnamed Tang and Chen Mei&nbsp;were contributors to a crowd-sourced project called 'Terminus-2049'.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/journalist-jailed-for-15-years-as-chinese-government-intensifies-free-speech-clampdown-296111" hreflang="en">Journalist jailed for 15-yrs as Chinese govt intensifies free-speech clampdown</a>

This project began in 2018 and was collecting articles and stories that were being removed from social media and news portals.

This project existed on Git-Hub, the world's largest open-source website that is a haven for Chinese activists to circumvent the great firewall on censored content.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-starbucks-number-one-chinese-competitor-imploded-296169" hreflang="en">How Starbucks' number one Chinese competitor imploded?</a>

However, the terminus has now disappeared in China along with&nbsp;the activists running it. They have been missing since April 19.

According to reports, they were detained by Chinese police and are being held at an unknown location.

The charges against them are ''picking quarrels and provoking trouble''.

And the fault of these activists was that they were trying to highlight the reality about the misdiagnosis of patients in China about the deaths of patients after they were discharged.

Anyone who fails to adhere to the rules of the Chinese regime has been punished brutally in the past.

The most famous example is that of an interview with Ai Fen, the whistle-blower doctor at Wuhan Central Hospital.

Her interview was published in the March edition of the People's&nbsp;magazine China's but was removed within hours after it got published.

The Beijing-based trio&nbsp;discovered that interview and re-published it Git-Hub.&nbsp;It was because of this reason that they are being held captive.

These journalists might be released later after they have been re-educated and they have agreed to change their opinions.

This has been seen&nbsp;in the case of Li Zehua,&nbsp;a 25-year-old citizen journalist who disappeared for two months for reporting from Wuhan.

However, he has re-appeared a few days&nbsp;ago and is singing praises of his captors.

A Beijing-based trio of activists that published censored articles on China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak have gone missing. Cai Wei, a woman surnamed Tang and Chen Mei were contributors to a crowd-sourced project called 'Terminus-2049'.

A Beijing-based trio of activists that published censored articles on China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak have gone missing. Cai Wei, a woman surnamed Tang and Chen Mei were contributors to a crowd-sourced project called 'Terminus-2049'. Also read: Journalist jailed for 15-yrs as Chinese govt intensifies free-speech clampdown This project began in 2018 and was collecting articles and stories that were being removed from social media and news portals. This project existed on Git-Hub, the world's largest open-source website that is a haven for Chinese activists to circumvent the great firewall on censored content. Also read: How Starbucks' number one Chinese competitor imploded? However, the terminus has now disappeared in China along with the activists running it. They have been missing since April 19. According to reports, they were detained by Chinese police and are being held at an unknown location. The charges against them are ''picking quarrels and provoking trouble''. And the fault of these activists was that they were trying to highlight the reality about the misdiagnosis of patients in China about the deaths of patients after they were discharged. Anyone who fails to adhere to the rules of the Chinese regime has been punished brutally in the past. The most famous example is that of an interview with Ai Fen, the whistle-blower doctor at Wuhan Central Hospital. Her interview was published in the March edition of the People's magazine China's but was removed within hours after it got published. The Beijing-based trio discovered that interview and re-published it Git-Hub. It was because of this reason that they are being held captive. These journalists might be released later after they have been re-educated and they have agreed to change their opinions. This has been seen in the case of Li Zehua, a 25-year-old citizen journalist who disappeared for two months for reporting from Wuhan. However, he has re-appeared a few days ago and is singing praises of his captors.

Activists disappear after publishing articles on China's handling of coronavirus

Chinese foreign ministry today claimed that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-biggest-jailer-of-journalists-turkey-second-worst-report-267594">report highlighting China</a> as having jailed the most journalists in 2019 lacked ''credibility''.

The report was released by a United States-based non-profit organisation. 
 
According to the report, China imprisoned at least 48 journalists this year, more than any other country, effectively dethroning Turkey.&nbsp;

The report was published by the Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday.&nbsp;The report, which is published annually, said that at least 250 journalists were imprisoned worldwide this year.

Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said that she knew nothing about the imprisoned journalists. She rebuffed the claim by saying, "you need to think about what illegal things these 40-some people have done."

Turkey was ranked second in the report, as it had imprisoned 47 journalists in 2019, down from 68 last year. Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both with 26; Eritrea with 16; Vietnam, with 12; and Iran with 11 were the next-most oppressive countries for journalists, the report said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Chinese foreign ministry today claimed that the report highlighting China as having jailed the most journalists in 2019 lacked ''credibility''. The report was released by a United States-based non-profit organisation.

Chinese foreign ministry today claimed that the report highlighting China as having jailed the most journalists in 2019 lacked ''credibility''. The report was released by a United States-based non-profit organisation. According to the report, China imprisoned at least 48 journalists this year, more than any other country, effectively dethroning Turkey. The report was published by the Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday. The report, which is published annually, said that at least 250 journalists were imprisoned worldwide this year. Hua Chunying, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said that she knew nothing about the imprisoned journalists. She rebuffed the claim by saying, "you need to think about what illegal things these 40-some people have done." Turkey was ranked second in the report, as it had imprisoned 47 journalists in 2019, down from 68 last year. Saudi Arabia and Egypt, both with 26; Eritrea with 16; Vietnam, with 12; and Iran with 11 were the next-most oppressive countries for journalists, the report said. (With inputs from Reuters)

No 'credibility' to report highlighting detention of journalists: Chinese foreign ministry

The wives of four of China's most prominent rights lawyers and activists shaved their heads on Monday in protest over what they called the "persecution" of their husbands by the government.