China released the “Stainless Steel Mouse” and two other Internet essayists who were detained a year ago for criticizing the government. Stainless Steel Mouse, (the moniker used by Liu Di) is a 23 year old college student in Beijing whose arrest on subversion charges had attracted international attention.

Although the Chinese authorities said she’d be charged with crimes relating to ‘illegal organizations’, no arrest documents were ever issued. Nor was she allowed visits from her family.

CNN Reports that at least a dozen other dissidents who have posted “anti-government” articles on the Web remain incarcerated.

After reading this it really makes me realize how we really do have it good in North America.