US seeks release of Olympic protesters

BEIJING // Washington's top diplomat in China has pressed the government to immediately free foreign activists jailed for protesting at the Olympics and criticised Beijing for failing to show "greater tolerance and openness". The blunt criticism came just hours before the end of the games, which have largely gone to plan for China's leaders, who wanted a smooth-running event that would increase the country's international prestige.

Chinese police have sentenced at least 10 foreigners to 10 days of detention for protesting during the Games, including eight Americans, a German and a British citizen. The detained demonstrators sought to raise awareness during the Beijing Games about China's tough rule in Tibet and its rights record. Most protesters were quickly dragged away by security forces, in the first week of the 17-day event, and escorted out of China within days. But some activists have been kept in custody under rules that allow officials to hold them without charge for up to 14 days.

British and US officials are seeking the quick release of their citizens. US consular officials met with eight detained Americans on Friday, according to a US Embassy statement. The detainees had not made any claims of maltreatment at the hands of Chinese officials. Yesterday, Ambassador Clark T Randt Jr pressed the Chinese government to immediately release the Americans, the statement said. "We are disappointed that China has not used the occasion of the Olympics to demonstrate greater tolerance and openness," the statement said. It urged China to show respect for human rights, freedom of speech and religion.

Britain's foreign office also issued a statement confirming the detention of a British citizen and urging the Chinese government "to respect its commitment to freedom of expression". Calls to China's ministry of foreign affairs went unanswered today, and the public security bureau, which handles internal security, declined to make any immediate comment on the embassy statement. Under pressure to address human rights and free speech concerns, China said it would allow protests during the games in three designated areas. But none of the more than 70 applications to demonstrate were approved, and some people were arrested as they sought the permits, rights groups and relatives said.

Activist groups including the New York-based 'Students for a Free Tibet' staged a series of small illegal demonstrations near Olympic venues and at Beijing landmarks during the competition, unfurling banners and speaking out against alleged Chinese abuses. The US Embassy named the detained US activists as James Powderly, Brian Conley, Jeffrey Rae, Jeff Goldin, Michael Liss and Tom Grant ? who were arrested last Wednesday. Jeremy Wells and John Watterberg were detained on Thursday. It said Chinese authorities said the group detained on Wednesday would be released on Aug 30 while the pair detained on Thursday would be released on Aug 31.

* AP