Fans of dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei are posting nude photographs of themselves on the Internet to show support for the controversial social critic, who is being investigated by Chinese authorities on charges of spreading pornography.

More than 100 people posted nude pictures of themselves on a website called “Listen, Chinese Government: Nudity is not Pornography” after Ai's assistant was questioned last week by Beijing police regarding a nude photograph taken in August last year.

The photo, which shows a nude Ai posing with four nude women, does not appear to be sexually charged.

His supporters say the investigation is simply the latest attempt to silence the artist, who was detained for almost three months without charges earlier this year.

Last week, Ai was forced to pay a $1.3 million deposit to tax authorities to avoid a criminal investigation and appeal a tax evasion charge that many say is politically motivated. Most of the money was donated by supporters.

Ai has said that he will appeal the tax evasion charge, but that he expects to lose the case.

Ai is an outspoken government critic whose work has been exhibited in the world's leading galleries. He was held without charges for 81 days earlier this year, at the height of a government crackdown on dissidents. His supporters believe the arrest was part of a broader campaign to make sure that popular uprisings spreading through the Middle East did not spread to China.