Chief executive officer of Yahoo! Jerry Yang has apologised to the relatives of Chinese dissidents who were jailed in the country three years ago.The company is accused of assisting the Chinese authorities in their arrest of the men by supplying them with internet user information.
In an appearance before the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr Yang expressed regret.
He stated: "I personally apologise to them for what they and their families are going through."
In an address to the families, Mr Yang said: "I want to say we are committed to doing what we can to secure their freedom. And I want to personally apologise for what they are going through."
During the congressional hearing, which was described by the Wall Street Journal as "unusually dramatic", Yahoo! was exposed to much criticism.
Chairman of the House of Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Lantos confronted the firm, saying: "While technologically and financially you are giants, morally you are pygmies. This testimony has been an appallingly disappointing performance."
When asked why no one at Yahoo! had been disciplined over what had happened in China, Mr Yang said: "At the end of the day, I feel that everybody was doing the best they can given a difficult situation."
Following the hearing, Yahoo! executives met with two of the dissidents' family members, although it is not known what was said.
