Wife visits detained Chinese dissident Ai

BEIJING, May 16 (UPI) -- The wife of Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who was detained six weeks ago, was allowed to visit him for the first time, a lawyer for Ai said Monday.

It was also the first time there'd been any news about Ai, who is kept in an undisclosed location in the Beijing area, The New York Times reported, quoting Liu Xiaoyuan, his lawyer and family friend.

Liu said Ai's wife Lu Quing reported her 53-year-old diabetic husband appeared to be in good physical condition.

The visit was supervised and the two could not discuss details of his treatment, the report said. The Times said other news reports have said he was being given his medications.

"It appears he's not in handcuffs, he was not wearing prison clothes and he was allowed to move freely within where he is living now," Liu said. "So I guess it's a form of house arrest, under supervision."

Ai was taken April 3 at Beijing airport as he prepared to fly to Hong Kong. While no charges have yet been filed, the Times reported the government, which has been cracking down on dissent, has said he was suspected of committing economic crimes.

The detention of Ai, a critic of the Chinese government, has been widely condemned by other governments, human rights and art groups, the Times said.