The sentencing of Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong to five years in prison is one in a flurry of cases that suggest China is backtracking on human rights. Ching was convicted in the wake of jail sentences for blind activist Chen Guangcheng and New York Times researcher Zhao Yan .
Chen was clearly a thorn in the side of local authorities in Linyi city , Shandong province , where he exposed officials who had forced residents to undergo illegal abortions and sterilisations. He was sentenced to four years and three months on a charge of damaging property and organising a mob to disrupt traffic.
Zhao, who had been held since September 2004, was originally charged with leaking state secrets. The New York Times published an article predicting, accurately, that former leader Jiang Zemin would step down as head of the Central Military Commission.
Zhao was picked up 10 days later. Apparently Beijing believed that he had provided that information - considered a state secret - to the newspaper.
Both the newspaper and Zhao denied the accusation. The Bush administration repeatedly called for Zhao's release. He was finally acquitted on the state secrets charge but convicted of fraud in an allegation unrelated to his employment at the newspaper.
It appears that when the Chinese government makes up its mind to get someone, it can do so whether it be on one charge or another.