Two Activists Held Before Albright Visit

On the same day the United States issued a report criticizing China’s human rights record, reports emerged that Chinese police detained one activist and sentenced another to 1 1/2 years in jail. News of the detention and sentence came just before U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s two-day visit, beginning Monday, to discuss human rights and other topics. Police took Wu Yilong away late Friday from his home in eastern Hangzhou City, his wife said. Another pro-democracy advocate, Peng Ming, who ran a debating forum of intellectuals that authorities shut down, has been sentenced to 1 1/2 years in jail, his wife said.