Artist Ai Weiwei released, Chinese police say
(Read article summary)After more than 2-1/2 months of detention, prominent dissident and artist Ai Weiwei has been released because of his 'good attitude in confessing,' according to Chinese state media.
• A roundup of daily news sources.
Beijing police announced they had released jailed dissident and artist Ai Weiwei today "because of his good attitude in confessing his crimes," Xinhua news agency reported.
Two friends said the artist had confirmed, by text message, his release after more than two months of detention. Still, Mr. Ai's whereabouts remain unclear, and his family have yet to be notified officially of his release. "I'm back with my family," Ai told the Guardian. "I am very happy. I'm fine."
Gallery: Weiwei: Artist and provocateur
Ai's detention on April 3 prompted a global campaign for his release, and he became a fresh symbol of China's dissidents. An outspoken critic of China's human rights record, he went missing after he was detained by police at Beijing airport. His family and human rights activists believe his detention was retaliation for his social and political activism.
Officials claimed, when pressed, that he was detained on suspicion of economic crimes, but police did not notify, or apparently permit him to notify, his family of his arrest.
