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China frees artist in time to attend daughter’s birthday

December 20, 2017 00:00:00


BEIJING, Dec 19 (BBC): A Chinese artist who was arrested after posting videos about Beijing's controversial mass evictions has been released on bail, according to friends.

Hua Yong had filmed a widely-shared farewell video to his daughter before his arrest on Saturday, saying he would not make it for her birthday.

But activists said he was freed on Monday evening and was reunited with his family in Chengdu city.

They also posted video clips showing him at her birthday celebration.

The Beijing-based painter had posted several videos on social media in recent weeks actively documenting the city's mass evictions and interviewing displaced residents.

Following police threats he fled the Chinese capital, but was later tracked down by authorities and arrested over the weekend, an incident which he documented in several posts on his Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Though these social media services are blocked in China, many activists circumvent the bans using virtual private networks.


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