The Price of Truth... in China..

What is the true importance of freedom of political speech?

From here:

By Benjamin Kang Lim

BEIJING (Reuters) - A blind activist in China and his family have been placed under house arrest for four months and he was beaten by thugs when he tried to venture out, after exposing forced abortions in his home province on the east coast.

Club-wielding goons believed to be hired by local authorities have been posted outside Chen Guangcheng's one-storey brick home in Dongshigu, a farming village in Shandong province, since September 6 to prevent him, his wife and 71-year-old mother from leaving, Chen said.

"China is lawless," the 34-year-old activist told Reuters by telephone. "They're worried I will expose more of their crimes."

"Do (President) Hu Jintao and (Premier) Wen Jiabao know? If they know, why have they not done anything?" Chen asked.

Authorities have jammed signals to and from Chen's mobile phone but they could not block calls on Friday due to a power failure. His home phone has also been cut.

I guess I'll leave you to answer my initial question.

(Filed under First Amendment Assaults, Defense of Life, World Affairs, VOM)