The wife of prominent jailed Chinese rights activist Hu Jia has gone missing ahead of her husband's expected release and may have been taken into custody, a Hong Kong newspaper said Monday.

Zeng Jinyan boarded a flight from China's southern city of Shenzhen on Sunday, but did not exit from the passenger arrival area after it landed later in Beijing, the Oriental Daily said.

"She may have been taken away by Chinese authorities," the paper said, quoting unnamed sources.

Hu, 37, became one of China's most high-profile activists through years of campaigning for civil rights, environmental protection and the plight of the country's marginalised AIDS sufferers.

He is expected to be released on June 26 after serving a prison term of three and a half years for subversion.

However several Chinese government critics have been put under house arrest or other restrictions recently following their release from jail.

Zeng's mobile phone was turned off when AFP tried to contact her on Monday.

She has been active in her husband's rights campaigning and authorities earlier this month ordered her evicted from her rented apartment in Shenzhen.

Zeng had moved to the city from Beijing in April, telling AFP earlier this month that she had hoped to enjoy a semblance of freedom there with Hu following his planned release.

However, police in Beijing told Zeng that Hu was not likely to enjoy a "normal" life after his release, remarks she interpreted to mean he was likely to face continued restrictions.

"I don't think anything good will happen (upon his release) -- I can only try my best to avoid arrest or detention," she told AFP then.

earlier related report
Taiwan telecom firm lets Falungong TV use satellite
Taipei (AFP) June 20, 2011 - Taiwan's leading telecom firm said Monday it will let a television station run by China's banned Falungong movement use its new satellite, reversing a controversial decision to end their contract.

"We've agreed that they can use the ST-2," said Chen Hui-yen, a spokeswoman for Chunghwa Telecom.

Chunghwa's announcement last month that there would not be enough bandwith on the ST-2 satellite for the Falungong station to have a slot triggered anger not just from the movement itself, but also from media campaigners and US lawmakers.

Teresa Chu, a Taiwan-based spokeswoman for the Falungong, confirmed that an agreement with Chunghwa had now been reached, but declined to provide details of the contract, saying they would be made public later this week.

Since August 2007, the TV company -- New Tang Dynasty Asia Pacific -- has broadcast programmes to Taiwan and China via commercial satellite ST-1, jointly owned by Chunghwa Telecom and Singapore Telecommunications.

The firms launched ST-2 in May to replace the ageing ST-1, and Chunghwa said limited bandwidth on the new satellite made it impossible to renew New Tang Dynasty's contract after it expires in August.

The spiritual movement said it suspected the company was bowing to pressure from China, an allegation denied by Chunghwa.

Chunghwa had offered to help New Tang Dynasty to find a new satellite, but the Falungong turned down the offer.

Media rights campaign group Reporters Without Borders expressed concern about the Chunghwa decision and questioned the reasons it gave.

US legislators also sent letters to Taiwan authorities last week, one of them saying that "Chunghwa Telecom's decision could reflect poorly on the government of Taiwan."

China outlawed Falungong as an "evil cult" in 1999 and has since detained tens of thousands of members. The group says its members are tortured for refusing to give up their beliefs.

Ties between Taiwan and China have improved markedly since 2008 after President Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang came to power.

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