Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei said Thursday he was still barred from leaving the country despite the expiry of a one-year bail condition imposed after his release from detention last June.
The outspoken 55-year-old, whose works have been exhibited in scores of countries, spent 81 days in custody last year as police rounded up dissidents amid online calls for Arab Spring-style protests in China.
On his release on June 22, 2011, authorities accused him of tax evasion, took away his passport barred him from leaving Beijing for a year — a restriction that has prevented him from attending his own exhibitions overseas.
On Thursday, Ai said he had received an official order announcing the end of his bail term, but that he was still barred from leaving the country.