Because reading an article has proven really difficult for some, here’s some lines from the article:
So basically I was talking on Twitter, just answering someone’s question. Normally you can talk, or whatever you like. You can joke, you can make fun, you can, you know, just give your opinions.
But today I see so many people by giving their basic opinions, they get fired, they get censored. This has become very common."
Criticising the suspension of two New York University professors for comments related to Gaza, Ai said: "This is really like a cultural revolution, which is really trying to destroy anybody who have different attitudes, not even a clear opinion.
So I think that this is such a pity, that it happened in the West, so broadly in universities, in media, in every location. In universities or political sector - everywhere - you cannot talk about the truth.
In 2011, Ai was arrested at Beijing Capital International Airport and detained for 81 days. He left China in 2015 and has not returned since.