Tate Modern's appeal to release Ai Weiwei

Recenlty it has been all over the news that the acclaimed chinese artist Ai WeiWei has had his human rights breached by being detained at Beijing Airport and his studio has been raided. Here is what the guardian had to say:

"China's best-known artist Ai Weiwei has been detained at Beijing airport this morning and police have surrounded his studio in the capital.

The 53-year-old, who designed the Olympic Bird's Nest stadium, has been an outspoken critic of the government. Although he has previously experienced harassment by officials, he appeared to be relatively protected by the status of his late father, a renowned poet, and his high international profile; last year, he created the Sunflower Seedsinstallation for Tate Modern.

His detention comes amid a wider crackdown on activists and dissidents, which human rights campaigners describe as the worst in over a decade. At least 23 people have been detained, mostly in relation to incitement to subversion or creating a disturbance. Three more have been formally arrested and more than a dozen are missing, including high profile human rights lawyers.

Ai was due to fly to Hong Kong for business this morning, but was detained at immigration on his way out of Beijing. An officer told an assistant who was travelling with him that the artist had "other business" and could not board the plane. Between 15 and 20 uniformed and plain clothes police surrounded his studio in Caochangdi, in the north of the capital, and more were believed to be searching it. Power to the neighbourhood was cut off.


Twitter users reported that Ai's friend Wen Tao had been detained by police in Caochangdi. Shortly beforehand, replying to a friend enquiring whether he was all right, he had tweeted: "So far, so good". Wen's mobile was not available. Beijing police said they did not know anything about either man. Asked about Ai, an airport police spokesman said: "I do not have the obligation to tell you the information. You may have got your information wrong; even if it is right, you have to go through certain procedures to make inquiries, not just make a phone call."

Earlier this week it emerged that Ai was setting up a studio in Berlin because of his increasing work in Europe.But he told the Guardian that it would take at least two years to build the space and he would probably divide his time between Europe and China.

He said the situation in Beijing was "difficult" and added: "It is hard to know what will happen in a few years.

"I will never leave China behind unless I am forced to….Hopefully that is not going to happen."

Tate Modern has posted this message of support for the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who was detained on Sunday at Beijing Airport, on its façade. The arts organisation is also encouraging people to sign this petition calling for the artist's release.