Ai Weiwei court challenge fails

27 September 2012 Last updated at 01:04 ET

Ai Weiwei outside the court in Beijing on 27 September 2012Ai Weiwei has voiced criticism of the Chinese government

Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei has again failed in a bid to challenge a tax evasion fine he says is politically motivated.

Tax authorities imposed a 15m yuan ($ 2.4m, £1.5m) fine on Mr Ai's firm for tax evasion in 2011.

His appeal was rejected in July and on Thursday a Beijing court rejected his challenge to that decision.

Mr Ai, who says he remains unable to leave the country, described the decision as "shameless".

"It didn't respect the facts or give us a chance to defend ourselves; it has no regard for taxpayers' rights," Reuters news agency quoted him as saying.

The artist, a outspoken critic of the government, was detained for almost three months without charge last year.

After he was released, he was accused of tax evasion and the fine imposed.

Chinese authorities maintain that the firm, called Fake Cultural Development, owes them money and it must be paid back.

Read More @ Source



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 nude models in China

Image
Nudity in art and nude modeling were introduced into China almost one century ago. When famed Chinese painter Liu Haisu became the first to initiate a figure drawing course at a Shanghai art school in 1917, he immediately triggered public uproar and widespread controversy in regards to nude modeling. Since then, China has become much more open to nude modeling, especially when we think back on the 1928 slashing of a nude model by her father for posing for internationally renowned Chinese photographer Lang Jingshan who took the country's first artistic nude shot . However, even though the Chinese have gotten more at ease with the idea of modeling in the nude since 1928, it still remains quite the controversial career path to take in China. Every time some nude picture appears, the public nudity debate gets stirred up again and sometimes violence may even ensue. Some think that it's shameful and the models just get naked for the so-called sake of art to make easy-money and ...
Keep reading

China raises rare earth exports

Image
18 May 2012 Last updated at 00:00 ET China said 10,680 tonnes would be added to the quota on top of 10,546 tonnes initially issued China has allowed more companies to export rare earths, increasing the quotas set by the government, after they met environment standards. It has increased rare earth export quotas by 10,680 tonnes, the Ministry of Commerce said Thursday. The announcement brings the total quotas issued so far this year to 21,226 tonnes. Rare earths are a collection of 17 elements used in products from smartphones to hybrid cars. China, the biggest miner of rare earths, capped exports at 30,184 tonnes last year. It said the quotas were designed to conserve resources and protect the environment. Beijing is embroiled in trade disputes with the US, Japan and the European Union over its control of rare earths. However, only about half of last year's quota was used, according to the ministry. China normally allocates rare earth resources in two s...
Keep reading

From waste leather to drug capsules: Toxic gelatin factory exposed in Hebei

Image
The latest item on the toxic food list in China is drug capsules made of industrial gelatin extracted from bleached waste leathers. Such capsules can cause cancer due to high level of chromium resulting from leather tanning processing. As of now, China has banned the sale of 13 drugs and arrested 22 for allegedly making and selling capsules made from discarded leather. Below are pictures from Xue Yang Ming Gelatin Protein Factory in Hengshui, Hebei Pronvice. The factory was reported to sell waste leather gelatin to drug capsule manufacturers in Zhejiang Province. Waste leather, aka, “blue leather” “Blue leathers” soaked for days so that they are “white” and puffed up Soaking plates for waster leather Brewing facilities Warehouse Waste leather stocks Waste water from the factory The head of the factory has already been arrested and workshops shut down China media: Boao and Taiwan China's Li Keqiang has exchanged good wishes with Taiwan's Wu Den-yih Monday's newspapers repo...
Keep reading