(RSF/IFEX) - On 11 March 2005, dissident journalist Shi Tao appeared before the state prosecutor in the southern city of Changsha in a secret, two-hour hearing and was found guilty of "illegally divulging state secrets abroad". RSF has voiced outrage at the travesty of justice in Shi's case.

The journalist is scheduled to be sentenced on 25 March at the latest. He reportedly faces anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.

Shi was allowed to see his mother and brother for 10 minutes after the hearing. Since he was suffering from the flu, his family wanted to give him some medicine but the authorities prevented them from doing so.

On 4 March, the Justice Department in the eastern city of Shanghai banned Shi's lawyer, Guo Guoting, from practising law for a year. As a result, Shi was represented at the hearing by one of Guo's colleagues.