Dissidents Kept Under House Arrest During Olympics

Amid the global buzz surrounding the Olympics, Beijing has cracked down on known dissidents and potential troublemakers who may distract from the festivities.

Several dissidents and their families are being held under house arrest for the duration of the games. Some have been taken on enforced "holidays" by state security officials.

Yu Jie, a dissident writer explains that "I can go outside, but I have to ride in the police car with my guards wherever I go". He finds this quite abusurd seeing that he has little interest in the games and is just getting additional fodder for his anti-state propaganda.

Chinese authorities hope such actions will ensure a 'Safe Olympics'. But the negative publicity being generated through the porous Internet may come back and bite them. Human Rights Watch in China, a New York based group, is circulating a list of 24 protestors, critics and family members who are being forced to bear such atrocities during the Games.