N.Y. Times employee leaves prison in China

BEIJING, Sept. 15 (UPI) -- A Chinese employee of The New York Times was released from a Beijing prison Saturday morning after serving three years for fraud.

Zhao Yan’s case attracted international attention. Times Executive Editor Bill Keller said Zhao should be able to return to his job without restrictions.

“We’re delighted to learn that Zhao Yan has regained his freedom after spending three years in prison,” Keller said. “We have said all along that Mr. Zhao is an honorable, hard-working reporter whose only offense seems to have been practicing journalism.”

Zhao was arrested in 2004 and charged with disclosing state secrets to the Times. Prosecutors later accused him of fraud, a crime he allegedly committed when working for a Chinese magazine in 2001.

A court dismissed the state secrets charge but convicted him of fraud.

Family members waited for Zhao outside the prison. His sister said he planned to have a physical examination before traveling to a family wedding.