Chinese official media say the Chinese artist, whose recent detention has drawn international criticism, has been accused of plagiarizing the idea for a 2007 exhibit.
Ai Weiwei was detained in Beijing a week ago as he tried to board a flight for Hong Kong, and police later raided his studio outside the Chinese capital. Ai helped design Beijing’s famed “Bird’s Nest” Olympic stadium, but is also an outspoken critic of the government.
The official Xinhua news agency cited accusations against the renowned artist that were allegedly found online.
One accusation says Ai stole an art professor’s idea by flying 1,001 “ordinary” Chinese citizens to Germany as “living exhibits” in a 2007 art show. Xinhua quotes Chinese novelist Wang Shuo as saying in his blog that art professor Ye Luping from Xi’an was the author of the innovation.
Other blogs allegedly accuse Ai of tax evasion, monopolizing art funds and other things. None of the claims have been independently investigated.
China’s foreign ministry said Thursday that Ai was charged with “economic crimes,” without other details. The case has sparked international condemnation of China’s crackdown on activists critical of the government.
The international community has criticized China for launching a massive crackdown on dissidents and other activists in February, following online calls for anti-government protests in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities. The protests never materialized, in large part because of a heavy pre-emptive police presence in areas designated for the demonstrations.
Late last year, Ai was stopped from boarding a flight to Seoul, shortly after being invited to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Norway honoring jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Liu is serving an 11-year prison term on charges of subversion.
