Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei barred from courts
Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei waves from the doorway of his studio after he was released on bail in Beijing June 23, 2011.
Image by: DAVID GRAY / REUTERS
Image by: DAVID GRAY / REUTERS
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei says police have barred him from leaving his home and attending a hearing of the lawsuit brought by his company against Beijing tax authorities.
Ai said Wednesday that police had ordered him Tuesday to stay inside his courtyard home in northeast Beijing.
Chinese authorities view Ai as a troublemaker. They detained him for three months last year and his design company was ordered to pay 15 million yuan ($2.4 million) in back taxes and fines.
The company has appealed the fine and separately filed a suit against the tax bureau for allegedly violating laws in handling witnesses, evidence and company accounts in the case.
The suit, brought by Ai's Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., was due to be heard Wednesday.
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