Beijing ( CNN ) -- China has arrested a pro-democracy activist , the latest detention in the government 's effort to prevent the Arab world 's `` Jasmine Revolution '' from spreading into China , a human rights group said Wednesday . Zhu Yufu , a longtime activist and a founder of the China Democracy Party , is accused of `` inciting subversion of state power , '' the group Chinese Human Rights Defenders said . Zhu is at least the fourth activist reported to be arrested and accused of that crime in recent weeks . Amnesty International said Ding Mao , Ran Yunfei and Chen Wei were formally arrested between March 25 and March 28 `` and could face lengthy prison terms . '' `` Since an anonymous online call on 17 February to stage a 'Jasmine Revolution ' in China more than a hundred activists , many of them active on Twitter and blogs , have been detained , put under surveillance or illegal house arrest , or have simply gone missing , '' Amnesty said in a report this week . `` Moreover , at least a dozen lawyers say they have been briefly detained and pressured by the authorities not to take up cases defending those detained , and even told by police to stop tweeting about the detained people . '' CNN 's call to China 's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday evening was not immediately returned . `` China is a country ruled by law , and Chinese citizens are supposed to conduct their businesses within the framework of China 's constitution and laws , '' much like the United States , Wang Baodong , spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington , wrote in an e-mail.. `` No one is allowed to enjoy privileged rights above the law , no matter who you are and what high positions you hold . '' In recent years , he said , about a dozen high-ranking Chinese government officials per year have been prosecuted and punished `` because of their unlawful activities such as corruption and election manipulations , which rarely catches the attention of the American media . We hope that the Western media will take an objective and fair attitude toward China 's human rights situation , which has been constantly improving . '' Last week , China denied reports that a dissident artist was being held due to his calls for reform . The government insisted that Ai Weiwei was being investigated for economic crimes . `` It has nothing to do with human rights or freedom of expression , '' ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters during a regular weekly briefing . Gao Ying , Ai 's mother , told CNN that she is very worried . `` There is nowhere I can ask about his whereabouts , '' she said . `` I would sell my house ( for the money ) to go to court if necessary ... I will go to the prison with him . I would die there with him . `` If this is an economic crime case , why did it need so many policemen ? '' she asked . `` Why did they raid his studio , why everyone is now under close supervision ? Is it worthwhile ? This is very stupid . '' Ai , one of the country 's best-known artists , helped design the Bird 's Nest stadium for the Beijing Olympics , but he later called for a boycott of the 2008 games because , he said , China was using them as propaganda . He has also accused the Chinese government of trying to silence dissidents . Zhu Yufu is `` the first individual outside of Sichuan Province to be formally arrested as part of the 'Jasmine Revolution ' crackdown , '' Chinese Human Rights Defenders ( CHRD ) said . He previously spent seven years in prison for `` subversion of state power '' following a 1998 crackdown on the China Democracy Party , and he was imprisoned again between 2007 and 2009 , the China-based group said . CHRD also said Beijing-based housing rights activist Ni Yulan and her husband Dong Jiqin , missing since April 7 , had been detained . The U.S. State Department Human Rights Report on China for 2010 , published last week , says , `` A negative trend in key areas of the country 's human rights record continued , as the government took additional steps to rein in civil society , particularly organizations and individuals involved in rights advocacy and public interest issues , and increased attempts to limit freedom of speech and to control the press , the Internet and Internet access . `` Efforts to silence political activists and public interest lawyers were stepped up , and increasingly the government resorted to extralegal measures including enforced disappearance , 'soft detention , ' and strict house arrest , including house arrest of family members , to prevent the public voicing of independent opinions . Public interest law firms that took on sensitive cases also continued to face harassment , disbarment of legal staff , and closure . '' During a visit to Washington in January . Chinese President Hu Jintao acknowledged that `` a lot still needs to be done '' about human rights in his country . He added , `` China also respects the universality of human rights , but at the same time we also believe we need to take into account the differences in culture when talking about human rights . ''
Activist Chen Wei is accused of `` subversion of state power , '' human rights groups say . about a dozen activists detained , put under surveillance or missing , Amnesty says . Amnesty human rights report says Sichuan Province 's rights record worsened in 1998 .