A "Chinese WikiLeaks"?

China activists plan WikiLeaks-style site

Human rights groups and WikiLeaks itself warn that Government Leaks project is naive given China's strict secrecy laws

22 October 2010 - Attempts to create a "Chinese WikiLeaks" project could result in lengthy jail sentences for internet users who send sensitive materials, critics warned today.

The Government Leaks project says it believes that sharing secret documents will increase transparency and lead to political reform.

An unidentified representative said in an email that around 60 people, including well-known bloggers, were working on the project, although the need for anonymity makes it impossible to verify that claim. The site asks for donations to the project as well as documents.

Human rights groups and bloggers warned that the plan was at best naive given China's strict secrecy laws. WikiLeaks has also expressed concern.

One mainland journalist, Shi Tao, is serving a 10-year sentence for leaking state secrets after he sent a document banning coverage of the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests to an overseas pro-democracy site. He was traced via his email account. {read rest}