51.   The return of the exiled dissidents was first reported Monday by the South China Morning Post, an English-language daily.

52.   Twenty-two exiled dissidents released a statement calling on U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as governments and human rights groups to pressure China to release the dissidents.

53.   Vowing to continue to try to go home and fight for democracy, a prominent exiled Chinese dissident boarded an Asiana Airlines plane bound for New York on Thursday.

54.   Exiled dissidents also commemorated the election anniversary.

55.   Exiled dissidents are routinely refused entry into China despite many still maintaining valid passports.

56.   They also called for allowing and allow exiled political dissidents to return to China.

57.   King Hamad has launched democratic reforms, emptied the jails of political prisoners, allowed exiled dissidents to return and set parliamentary elections for October.

58.   Since then, political prisoners have been freed, exiled dissidents have been allowed to return home and political groups have been legalized.