Detention prompts fear of Web crackdown

The disappearance of university student Liu Di has sparked fears among Internet surfers that the authorities might step up the crackdown on online expression by branding outspoken chatrooms 'illegal organisations.'

Liu Di, 22, a prolific poster on Internet chatrooms under the pen name 'stainless-steel rat', was taken away by police from the campus of Beijing Normal University on November 7.

Her family was told by a university official that she had been detained for her connection with an illegal organisation. But so far there has been no official comment on Liu's detention.

It is also unclear whether the 'illegal organisation' refers to Liu's penpals or other organisations. Officials from the Public Security Bureau in Beijing said they had not heard of the case.

Frequent posters on Internet chatrooms are worried the 'illegal organisation' refers to a chatroom operated by Liu since last year. One of Liu's penpals said she started a chatroom called 'A life like fire' after a chatroom she frequently visited was shut by police last year.

The operator of the previous chatroom was briefly detained by police and was not allowed to continue his postgraduate studies.

Liu then started a new chatroom, which cannot be accessed by the public, but there were few message posters, according to Liu's penpal.