Activist Hu Jia accepts he faces jail again after latest police questioning
Activist tells of interrogation over Twitter posts on sensitive issues and says he believes Beijing authorities are building evidence to arrest him
Veteran rights activist Hu Jia, who returned home in the early hours yesterday after being summoned by Beijing police on a charge of "provoking and stirring up trouble", said authorities appeared to be collecting evidence against him for an arrest that will lead to a lengthy jail term.
Hu, who remains under house arrest, said police had warned him he could face a jail term of over 10 years should the authorities decide to take action.
"Yes, I could be arrested any time," Hu said. "But I really have no fear at all."
During nearly eight hours in custody, Hu said he was repeatedly interrogated about comments he posted on Twitter on a number of issues, including him calling for a rally in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the 1989 military crackdown, urging people to wear masks to protest at Beijing's bad air, and calling on fellow citizens to follow the example of Ukrainians to stand up to an unpopular government.
He said he was also questioned over his expressions of concern about the arrest of the Uygur scholar Ilam Tohti and the self-immolations in Tibet as well as his support for the Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader.
Hu said he was also interrogated about his links to members of the Beijing house church Shengai, or Holy Love, Christian Fellowship. He had urged some members to rally outside court when Xu Zhiyong, founder of the New Citizen movement, and six fellow civil rights activists were put on trial last month.
Thirteen from the fellowship were put in criminal detention on January 24 and were only released this week.