China to release 2 coders who built virus news archive

By HUIZHONG WU
Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Two amateur Chinese computer coders are set to be released next week after more than a year behind bars. The two were jailed after archiving deleted news articles about the pandemic’s initial outbreak. A brother of one of the imprisoned coders said the sentencing took place Friday. The two received one year and three months, to be applied retroactively, on the charge of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble.” The vague catch-all charge is often used for politically sensitive cases. Friends and family say what caught authorities’ attention appears to be their work archiving articles showing China’s early pandemic response.  They also built a forum where people could discuss sensitive issues.