China detains Swedish human rights activist

Chinese authorities have allegedly detained a Swedish human rights worker in Beijing, amid an ongoing crackdown on activists and dissidents.

Chinese Urgent Action Working Group (China Action) says its founder, Peter Dahlin, was detained on 4 January while en route to the airport.

Swedish officials have said they are looking into the detention of a citizen in China.

On Tuesday several lawyers were said to have been charged with "subversion".

China Action describes itself as a legal aid organisation. It provides assistance to uncertified lawyers who provide legal aid in rural areas, as well as directly aids disadvantaged groups and individuals who have experienced rights violations.

It has told reporters Dahlin, 35, was detained on suspicion of "endangering state security".

"Peter has been arbitrarily detained on spurious accusations," a spokesman was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.

The group also says officials were denying all access to Mr Dahlin who is suffering from Addison's Disease, a rare defect of the adrenal gland, which needs daily medication.

Sweden's foreign affairs ministry has tweeted that a 35-year-old male citizen has been detained in China. "Our embassy is looking into this and has requested to visit him," it said.

Reuters news agency quoted Hong Lei, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, as saying that he did not know about the detention.

On Tuesday, seven human rights lawyers and their associates who have been missing since last summer were formally arrested and charged with "subversion", according to their friends and relatives.