US geologist jailed for 8 years in China

For breaking the state secrets law and gathering state secrets, a Beijing court sentenced an American geologist to 8 years in prison.

45-year-old Xue Feng was under arrest in November 2007 on charges of attempting to obtain a database of information about China's oil industry.

A Beijing court found him guilty more than a year ago, but sentencing was been repeatedly delayed. On Monday, Jul 5, along with Xue other 3 Chinese nationals were also sentenced to prison.

According to the Xue's family, Xue has spent more than 2 years in jail and the state security agents tormented him by burning him with lit cigarettes on his arms.

Xue case first became public when a news agency reported about it in 2009. Even US President Barack Obama raised the case with President Hu Jintao in 2009, during a state visit to Beijing.

Born in China, Xue earned a doctorate at the University of Chicago and became a US citizen and then he returned to his native country China to work.