US disquiet on dissident's detention infuriates China

China:As Washington increases the pressure on Beijing on the arrest of a prominent dissident, Chinese officials have restated their position that human rights are a domestic matter and the Olympic Games in the capital in August should not become politicised.

Hu Jia, who has lobbied for human rights lawyers and Aids sufferers, was picked up last month and charged with inciting to subvert the government, which could earn him a hefty prison sentence.

On Monday, the US state department weighed in on the case, describing Mr Hu's detention as "disturbing" and saying that Washington had raised his case with Beijing. These kind of comments infuriate the Chinese authorities who have always maintained that human rights are a domestic issue and not one for foreign governments to meddle in.

But with international attention focused on China ahead of the Olympics, which start on August 8th, many groups are using the exposure to highlight rights abuses in China in areas such as press freedom, Tibetan independence moves and democracy advocates. Some have called for a boycott of the games, although most are opposed to one.

The Chinese government issued a stiff riposte to Washington's complaints, saying Mr Hu was a suspected criminal and would be dealt with by law.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said China was a country ruled by laws that everyone must abide by. "I have already answered this question at many news conferences. China is a country ruled by laws. Everyone must respect the law. Nobody is above the law."

Hu Jia is one of the best-known dissidents in China, first came to prominence over his advocacy for Aids sufferers in rural China, and latterly has been involved in helping prominent human rights lawyers. He has been detained many times before and was under house arrest for many months before the police arrested him.