Reporters Without Borders has learned that Zhang Lin started eating again on 28 September 2005, almost one month after beginning a hunger strike. The cyberdissident, sentenced to five years in prison in August for writing articles "contrary to the Constitution", has been left extremely weak from his ordeal.

Zhang Lin suffers from minor heart problems as a result of his prolonged fast. The prison authorities have refused to transfer him to hospital, despite the fact that he is in a poor state of health. He is however receiving medical care in prison.

He is allowed to receive visits from his lawyer, but not from his wife, Fang Cao. After ending his hunger strike, he told his lawyer that he would "never give up morally" and he thanked all those who supported him in China and abroad, whom he asked to continue to work for "freedom of expression".

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