Human Rights in China says Li Yuanlong, a reporter for the Bijie Daily, was formally indicted on February 9, after being detained in September.
Li's attorney told VOA Mandarin service that the Internet articles criticized China's communist party, and not the government or socialist system, and therefore should not be considered subversive.
Human Rights in China says Li's arrest conflicts with a recent statement by the deputy director of China's Internet Affairs Bureau Liu Zhengrong that said no one is detained for simply publishing Internet articles.
The New York-based group says Li had earlier written newspaper articles on unemployment and rural poverty in southwest China.
The group is calling for the release of Li and others who they say have been detained for the peaceful expression of views.
Some information for this report was provided by AP