Artist Ai Weiwei: China crushes dissenting voices

BEIJING (AP) — Artist Ai Weiwei has again criticized China’s leaders as lacking vision and refusing to permit dissenting voices, saying the government’s mantra of maintaining stability is merely a ruse to protect illicit benefits and special interests.

The country’s best known international artist said he would continue to fight for human rights and freedom of expression in a videotaped message posted Monday on YouTube, which is blocked in China. He said that the form of limited house arrest under which he has lived for months is punishment for his activism.