[JURIST] Chinese Human Rights Defenders said Saturday that human rights activist Hu Jia has been detained on charges of inciting subversion of state power [press release]. According to the advocacy group, Hu was arrested on Thursday in connection to "his peaceful activities in promoting human rights, including reporting abuses and posting articles to raise public awareness" and his wife, Zeng Jinyan, remains under house arrest. Earlier this year, Hu made public [JURIST report] letters and recordings from Chinese lawyer Gao Zhisheng alleging that Gao was tortured into confessing to subversion charges. Reporters Without Borders has called for Hu's release [press release], saying that "the political police have taken advantage of the international community's focus on Pakistan to arrest one of the foremost representatives of the peaceful struggle for free expression in China."

Last month, rights group Dui Hua reported that the number of political arrests in China more than doubled in 2006 [JURIST report]. China has been criticized in recent months for cracking down on human rights activists and political dissidents [JURIST report] ahead of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. AFP has more.