Chinese artist Ai Weiwei released on bail after months of mystery detention

He was bailed out late on Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges of tax evasion, Chinese state-news agency Xinhua reported. An outspoken critic of China's human rights record, his arrest in April prompted a global campaign for his release.

The 54-year-old said he was back home and in good health in a phone interview with the BBC. "I am already home, released on bail, I can't talk to media but I am well, thanks for all the media attention," he said.

Ai Weiwei was detained as he boarded a Beijing flight bound for Hong Kong, and subsequently held at a secret location without access to a lawyer.

Beijing alleged the artist had evaded taxes and destroyed evidence, charges hotly contested by his supporters who slammed them as motivated by his activism.

State media Xinhua reported that Weiwei had offered to repay the taxes and would be released because of "his good attitude in confessing his crimes".

The agency also quoted police as saying the company that handles business aspects of Weiwei’s career, Beijing Fake Cultural Development, had evaded "a huge amount of taxes and intentionally destroyed accounting documents".

Xinhua also reported that Weiwei was suffering from a "chronic illness".

China's foreign ministry had however previously said that Weiwei was under investigation for "economic crimes".

It had insisted that his arrest - which came amid one of China's biggest clampdowns on activists in years and was condemned by Western governments - had "nothing to do with human rights or freedom of expression".

But the release coincides with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit this week to Germany and the UK, two countries with which Weiwei has strong professional ties and public support.

Beijing came under enormous pressure to free the artist, as the case generated criticism from the international community that China was breaking its own laws by holding Weiwei in secret without access to a lawyer.

The US state department welcomed Weiwei's release, but added that are more individuals who are also being held and that require releasing.