China frees rights lawyer, may try dissident

By Chris Buckley

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities on Saturday released human rights lawyer Teng Biao after a secretive two-day detention even while they indicated a likely trial of the prominent dissident Hu Jia who Teng has boldly championed.

Beijing law lecturer Teng was bundled into a car without licence plates on Thursday night, his wife Wang Ling told reporters on Friday.

Teng, 34, has defended dissidents and urged stronger citizens' rights before Beijing's 2008 Olympic Games. He has been especially vocal for his friend Hu Jia, a dissident facing subversion charges after spending much of 2007 under house arrest.

On Saturday afternoon, Beijing police released Teng after two days in detention that had already attracted intense attention from local and foreign rights advocates.

"I was taken in by Beijing Public Security at 8:40 on Thursday and then I was taken home by them at 1:40 this afternoon," Teng told Reuters on his wife's mobile telephone. "That's all I can say now. It wouldn't be convenient to say more."

Teng's own mobile telephone was also turned back on after two days' silence and he said he was in "good enough" health. Calls to a Chinese Ministry of Public Security spokesman about the case were not answered.

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