New York Times researcher’s case: verdict delayed for a month

New York Times researcher’s case: verdict delayed for a month

Zhao, an investigative reporter for Chinese publications before he joined the Times, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of disclosing state secrets.

The case has been one of the most secretive and one of the most scrutinized prosecutions in recent years. Few details have emerged about the charges and the trial because the government says they involve state secrets and the court has ordered lawyers not to discuss them. At the same time, the Times has kept Zhao's plight prominently in its news and editorial pages, the AP reports.

Zhao, now 44, was detained in 2004 after the Times reported on former Chinese President Jiang Zemin's plans to relinquish his post as head of the military.