For this the 40-year-old was convicted of 'illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities'. The email account-holder information supplied by Yahoo! helped Chinese authorities secure his conviction.
Shi Tao has been detained for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and we call for his immediate release.
Propaganda instructions
In April 2004 Shi Tao went to an official meeting about the Central Propaganda Department's instructions for the Tiananmen anniversary. These instructions had been sent to all major public institutions and the media.
The announcement warned of possible unrest during the Tiananmen Square anniversary. It talked about the dangers of infiltration by "democratic elements" and other hostile foreign elements, about Falun Gong "sabotage" activities and about mass crowd incidents.
The media were instructed to "correctly direct public opinion" and to "never release any opinions inconsistent with central policies".
Shi Tao took notes and emailed the information to his US contact, who runs a well known Chinese pro-democracy website, and an article was published the same day under a pseudonym.
The Chinese Government stifles public debate about the Tiananmen Square protests and the issue is banned from school textbooks, magazines, newspapers and the Internet.
Shi Tao wrote for the Contemporary Trade News, also known as the Dangdai Shangbao. He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years' jail in April 2005. He is reportedly being forced to work under harsh conditions in prison.
Lawsuit settled
Yahoo! spokespeople later claimed the company was simply following local laws and at the time had no information about the nature of the Chinese investigation. However, last year a Chinese police notice to Yahoo! came to light, suggesting the company was at least aware of the nature of the alleged crime.
Last November Yahoo Inc settled a lawsuit, the terms of which are not public, with the families of Shi Tao and another jailed dissident, Wang Xiaoning.
The lawsuit alleged the company – which had been hauled before a US congressional hearing to explain its actions – aided and abetted human rights violations by handing over information about the men's online activities.
Family harassed
Shi Tao's wife was questioned daily by public security officials after his arrest. She eventually filed for divorce after being pressured by her employer.
Other members of Shi Tao's family have also been hassled by authorities. His mother, his brother and his uncle have all been placed under surveillance and harassed.
Information control
China's censorship of its citizens' Internet use has put the spotlight on global Internet companies that have invested in the country such as Yahoo!, Microsoft and Google.
By complying with official censorship demands these companies are aiding or sanctioning government efforts to control the free flow of information. They are going against established international norms and values and comprising their own principles.
Jailer of journalists
Around 30 journalists and 50 Internet users are known to be behind bars in China. Media freedom organisations have labelled the country the world's leading jailer of journalists.
In the build up to the Olympics, Chinese authorities are intensifying their already strict controls over media outlets, including newspapers, magazines and websites.
Journalists, activists and others reporting on sensitive issues, or who challenge the status quo, risk being dismissed from their jobs, arbitrarily detained or imprisoned.
Censorship of the Internet and media in China shields a range of human rights abuses from the public glaze, such as information about the exact number of people Chinese authorities execute each year.
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