Yahoo is again under fire for turning over Internet records to the Chinese government, action that resulted in the imprisonment and torture of political dissidents in that country, according to a human rights lawsuit filed this week. The lawsuit claims that Yahoo is in violation of federal and international laws against torture and other forms of political persecution. Yahoo officials have acknowledged sharing user data with the Chinese government, arguing that Yahoo employees are required to obey local laws in China to avoid facing civil and criminal charges. Plaintiffs in the case include jailed Chinese dissident Wang Xiaoning and his wife, Yu Ling.
The World Organization for Human Rights USA is seeking unspecified damages and a court order to bar Yahoo from further cooperation with Chinese authorities. Officials for the Washington DC-based rights organization released a statement calling for U.S. companies to refrain from "participating actively in promoting and encouraging major human rights abuses."