In recent months eight lawyers have been arrested and held in prison, accused of various crimes against the state.

His lawyer, a Hutu, was arrested recently on genocide charges.

A lawyer and two provincial officials were also arrested today in the case.

The lawyer was later arrested as a "suspect of financing the Al-Qaeda terror network in the region."

Two prominent lawyers were arrested after the last rally three weeks ago in Managua.

The firm was subsequently disbanded and two lawyers have been arrested.

But four prominent lawyers had been arrested that morning, and the gossip was bouncing along the hallways at full throttle.

The lawyers were then arrested, as was a ticket-taker, on charges of obstructing an officer.

According to Jiang, his lawyer was also arrested one day after agreeing to represent him.

"A lawyer got arrested," they would soon whisper to each other, and the news would race along the streets.