Ai Weiwei under investigation for 'economic crimes'
Chinese police are investigating Ai Weiwei, the internationally-acclaimed artist, for "economic crimes", according to the state-run media.
In an official release citing information from China's Public Security Bureau, the Xinhua news agency reported that the 53-year-old Mr Ai was being investigated for "suspected economic crimes in accordance with the law".
The single-sentence, English-language report gave no further details and was deleted from the Xinhua website after an hour. It was the first concrete piece of news about Mr Ai since he was led away by police from Beijing airport on Sunday together with his friend, Wan Tao.
Meanwhile, Mr Ai's wife, Lu Qing, said the police had visited their home several times in the week leading up to his arrest and that Mr Ai had steeled himself for the worst.
"He felt a premonition that he would be detained," she said, in an interview with the Associated Press. "He told me something might happen to him". Mrs Lu said she has not heard from her husband since Sunday, but that some 40 to 50 policemen had subsequently raided their home and taken away both computers and money.
"This is very serious. So many people searching the house and it's been more than 48 hours since I've heard from him. I'm very worried about his situation, especially his health," said Mrs Lu, who added that her husband needs to take medicine for a range of ailments.
She added that the electricity to her house had been cut and their bank accounts had been frozen.
Mr Ai, whose 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds are currently filling the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern gallery in London, is thought to earn a substantial living from his art. Next month, an installation by Mr Ai will be mounted outside the Plaza hotel in New York, before then travelling to Somerset House in London.
In the past, the Chinese authorities have pursued government critics like Mr Ai for alleged tax violations or other non-political crimes.
Mr Ai is the most prominent victim so far of a renewed campaign against free speech. Dozens of lawyers, writers and activists have been disappeared or arrested in recent weeks.
Zhao Lianhai, the father who was convicted and imprisoned for disturbing the peace earlier this year after speaking out about China's toxic milk crisis, was led away by police yesterday. Mr Zhao, who was released on medical parole following international pressure over his conviction, was taken away after giving an interview in support of Mr Ai to foreign media.
