Jailed Chinese dissident's health said to be poor

BEIJING-The health of a jailed Buddhist Chinese dissident outspoken on Tibet and other sensitive topics is poor and he is not being allowed to communicate freely with his family, according to a source who met him recently.Hu Jia was found guilty of "inciting subversion of state power" in April for criticizing the ruling Communist Party, a verdict that drew quick condemnation from the United States, Britain and the United Nations.He is now serving a three-and-a-half year sentence in a prison in Beijing's neighboring city of Tianjin, and has been mentioned as a potential winner of this year's Nobel Peace Prize.A source close to the activist who asked not to be identified and who was allowed to see Hu this week, said that although he was apparently not being beaten, Hu had been placed in solitary confinement in chains at least once."Because Hu Jia spread discussion of human rights amongst prisoners that was not beneficial to the management of the jail, he was placed in solitary confinement for a day on August 13, shut in a cell for 24 hours in handcuffs and leg chains,"the source said, citing prison officials.Other prisoners are not allowed to lend Hu reading materials, and his letters to his family are read by prison officials who demand rewrites if they are not satisfied with the contents, the source added.As Hu is a devout Buddhist, he sticks to a strict vegetarian diet, which is causing nutritional problems for him in jail, the source said."I saw that his gums were pale, and I'm worried that he is anemic and malnourished," the source added.Because of Hu's health, he is not being given any strenuous labor to do, the source said.
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