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_WORLD WATCH______________________________
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China
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Bible smuggler sentenced
Death penalty not invoked
China’s Communist government released a man who had been sentenced to two years in prison for smuggling Bibles to an underground church. The action came after US diplomats criticized the arrest and trial and two weeks before President George W. Bush was due to arrive in China.
A Chinese court released Li Guangqiang on medical grounds. The court in the coastal province of Fujian decided that Li, a Hong Kong businessman, could serve his sentence under surveillance outside prison, the official Xinhua news agency said.
A US embassy spokesman said the United States was pleased with the release. “We have been seeking Li’s release and welcome the news that he is in Hong Kong where he can get necessary medical attention,” the spokesman said, adding, “The Chinese government is well aware of the president’s personal interest in this case.”
Li had originally faced a possible death sentence in the case, which sparked international outrage and a call for greater religious freedom in China.