chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown

The Tianjin Second Intermediate People's Court in China
Tianjin - Emiratesvoice

China sentenced an activist known by the online pseudonym "Super Vulgar Butcher" to eight years in prison Tuesday, one of the harshest punishments meted out to the group of lawyers and activists swept up in a major crackdown on civil society two years ago.

The punishment handed to Wu Gan, who refused to plead guilty to charges of "subverting state power", was intended as an unmistakable signal to anyone who would dare to challenge the state's authority, his lawyer told AFP.

Wu was taken into custody in May 2015 just weeks before authorities unleashed a ruthless campaign later dubbed the "709" crackdown, rounding up over 200 people involved in activities considered sensitive by the ruling Communist Party.

The outspoken social media figure had attracted authorities' attention with performance art and caustic commentary on Chinese society and politics that he published online.

Explaining its verdict, a court in Tianjin said Wu was "dissatisfied with the current system of governance, and that gradually produced thoughts of subverting state power".

By "hyping up hot incidents", Wu "attacked the national system that is the basis for state authority and the constitution", the court said.

Wu also "spread fake information" and "insulted others online", the statement said.

The prominent activist, with his recognisable bald head and glasses, became the subject of the state's ire for using his larger-than-life online persona to draw public attention to human rights cases.

He called himself "butcher" because he saw himself as taking the fight to authorities, promising to "slaughter the pigs". He later added "super vulgar" to his handle in response to complaints about his use of crude language to make his case.

His bold approach to seeking justice for those he saw as wronged by the government attracted praise from rights defenders, but was unpopular with the authorities, who saw him as a thorn in their side.

His family life became the subject of intense scrutiny by state media in May 2015 in what many activists saw as a sign of a looming crackdown on rights defenders.

He was "a representative figure in leading actions to support other human rights defenders and significant human rights cases outside court," according to Patrick Poon, a China researcher at Amnesty International.

Wu's lawyer Yan Xin said the sentence was aimed at setting "an example so other activists will say they are guilty when accused of crimes against the state".

"It's clear (Wu) was sentenced so harshly because he refused to plead guilty," he said.

Several supporters travelled to Tianjin to attend the trial but they were "pursued relentlessly by police" and forced to go home, an activist told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Outside the courthouse, over a dozen police officers prevented an AFP reporter from watching the trial.

-- 'The question of torture' --

The government's message to dissidents was highlighted by a very different sentence passed down on the same day for another figure who was also caught up in the "709" crackdown -- named after the date of the first disappearance on July 9, 2015.

In contrast to the heavy penalty for Wu, a court in Changsha exempted former human rights lawyer Xie Yang from serving a sentence after he pleaded guilty to "inciting subversion of state power".

He had worked on numerous politically sensitive cases, such as defending mainland supporters of Hong Kong democracy activists.

Xie was released on bail in May after what critics described as a show trial.

The court said Xie had been "long influenced by anti-China forces," according to the official Xinhua News service.

He had "travelled overseas several times to receive training organised by anti-China forces and seek links with subversive forces, both domestic and overseas," it said.

Xie had previously claimed that police used "sleep deprivation, long interrogations, beatings, death threats, humiliations" on him, allegations that became the focus of a rare letter by a number of western embassies in Beijing directly criticising the government's handling of the case.

But on Tuesday he denied he had been tortured, according to a video on the court's official Weibo social media account.

"On the question of torture, I produced a negative effect on and misled the public, and I again apologise," he told judges.

The court said he would face no criminal penalties following his full confession.

Another prominent rights lawyer who was arrested during the 2015 crackdown, Wang Quanzhang, has yet to stand trial.

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown chinese activist jailed for 8 years after major crackdown

 



GMT 05:14 2024 Wednesday ,07 February

Sophisticated Classic Dining Room Design Ideas

GMT 10:18 2018 Thursday ,30 August

Iran incapable of closing Hormuz, Bab Al Mandeb

GMT 09:54 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

'Friendly and kind' N. Korean skaters

GMT 20:17 2016 Friday ,11 November

Zambia promises economic rebalance in 2017 budget

GMT 20:21 2017 Thursday ,31 August

Over 20 Saudi air strikes hit Hajja

GMT 18:09 2011 Saturday ,02 July

A romance rekindled

GMT 00:28 2017 Saturday ,23 September

Batna has the final say as Al Wahda edge

GMT 12:36 2011 Tuesday ,06 December

Death Comes to Pemberley

GMT 12:13 2011 Saturday ,05 November

Two Strategic Allies

GMT 11:05 2018 Thursday ,18 January

Syria peace talks to resume in Vienna Jan 25-26

GMT 09:55 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

Barcelona to unveil 160m Coutinho

GMT 09:17 2017 Wednesday ,29 November

Forum to examine ways to reduce burden

GMT 21:14 2017 Tuesday ,12 December

It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

GMT 20:24 2011 Thursday ,15 September

Race a diminishing factor as more blacks
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice