The former editor-in-chief of a Chinese website has been given a six-year prison term for subversion, according to a statement from the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court in east China's Zhejiang Province.

The court ruled on Monday that Zhang Jianhong, former editor-in-chief of a website named "Aiqinhai", or "Aegean Sea", had written articles which defamed the Chinese government and amounted to agitation aimed at toppling the government.

The court found that Zhang, after his website was shut down and he himself was punished for illegal practices, had published over 110 articles under the pseudonym "Lihong" on overseas websites from May to September 2006. The statement said that in more than 60 articles, Zhang had slandered the government and China's social system to vent his discontent with the government.

According to Chinese law, Zhang was also deprived of his political rights for one year, the court ruled.

The statement said the court had showed leniency in the trial as Zhang showed remorse after his arrest.

The statement said the court had protected Zhang's procedural rights and Zhang's lawyer had been given adequate opportunity to defend for him.

Zhang, born in Ningbo in 1958, of Han nationality, was unemployed after his website was shut down.

Source: Xinhua