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Human Rights Group Sues Yahoo

The giant internet search engine, Yahoo, is being sued by a U.S. based human rights group for its part in leading to the arrest of several Chinese dissidents. Yahoo allegedly supplied Chinese authorities with information, which led to the arrest and torture of several detainees. The human rights group, the World Organization for Human Rights USA, is demanding an unspecified amount in damages to be paid by Yahoo, as well as the company?s guarantee to secure the detainees? release by the Chinese.

In its defense, Yahoo stated that it had no choice but to supply the Chinese with the information that they wanted, as local employees for the company were under threat of arrest and torture themselves if they did not cooperate with authorities. The company did not deny that it gave authorities the data that they demanded. At least three dissidents who were tortured and arrested were hesitant to join in the human rights organization?s complaints for fear of further action against them or their families in China.

The group also brought charges against two other internet search engines ? Microsoft and Google for their part in quashing dissent in return for a piece of the lucrative internet market in China. Microsoft, for example, closed down a popular blog that dealt with ?sensitive? topics after they were requested to do so by the Chinese. Yahoo has stated that it will continue to provide internet services in China in the hope that it will promote change in the country, but also said that it was ?distressed that citizens in China have been imprisoned for expressing their political views on the internet?.