China

Poets, Peaceniks and Protesters: Meet China’s Leading Dissidents

As Xi Jinping, the man widely touted to be China's next President, embarks on a trip to the U.S., Beijing's desire for political stability remains paramount. The past year has seen numerous crackdowns on dissent and arrests of Chinese activists. Last week, Zhu Yufu, a poet, was sentenced to seven years for "inciting subversion to state power." Meet Zhu and some of the other artists, activists and lawyers caught up in China's latest crackdown.

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Ai Weiwei

By Feb. 10, 2012
Peter Parks / AFP / Getty Images

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei exercises in a car park in Beijing on November 16, 2011.

Occupation: Artist
Status: Free, but under surveillance

‘Who is Afraid of Ai Weiwei?’ asks a recent documentary about the larger-than-life Chinese artist and activist. China’s ruling party seems plenty scared. They detained the outspoken Ai for 81 days last year and reportedly interrogated him at least 50 times.  Following his release, Ai was hit with a $2.4 million bill for back taxes and penalties. (He maintains that the charges were politically motivated.) The son of a revolutionary poet, Ai was an artistic consultant for the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic stadium before running afoul of the authorities. He was a runner-up for TIME’s 2011 Person of the Year.

—by Joe Jackson

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