Beijing: China sentenced a prominent rights activist to eight years in jail for subversion on Tuesday, his lawyer said, the harshest sentence to be passed so far in a government crackdown on activism that began more than two years ago.
Wu Gan, a blogger better known by his online name "Super Vulgar Butcher", regularly championed sensitive cases of government abuses of power, both online and in street protests. He was detained in May 2015 and later charged with subversion.
Yan Xin, Wu's lawyer, told Reuters he planned to appeal against the eight-year sentence handed down by the Tianjin Municipality's No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.
Wu criticised China's political system online and used performance art to create disturbances, as well as insulting people and spreading false information, according to a statement form the court posted on its website.
"He carried out a string of criminal actions to subvert state power and overthrow the socialist system and seriously harmed state security and social stability," the court said.
Wu had been using his platform before his arrest to cast doubt on the official version of events in a controversial case in which a police officer shot a petitioner in a train station in northern China's Heilongjiang province in May 2015.
His sentence is the most severe yet in what rights groups have called an unprecedented attack on China's rights activists and lawyers, known as the 709 crackdown, which began in earnest on July 9, 2015.
The hardline approach to rights activism has shown no sign of softening as Chinese President Xi Jinping enters his second five-year term in office.
The decision to release the sentence the day after Christmas, when there would likely be less attention from diplomats and international observers, "reeks of cynical political calculation", said Patrick Poon, Hong Kong-based researcher for Amnesty International.
China's foreign ministry could not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Wu's detention led to his father, Xu Xiaoshun, also taking up activism. Xu told Reuters in July he felt compelled to speak out on his son's behalf after authorities asked him to say Wu was guilty.
The crackdown has also spurred other family members to take up activism.
(Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Paul Tait)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Wu Gan, a blogger better known by his online name "Super Vulgar Butcher", regularly championed sensitive cases of government abuses of power, both online and in street protests. He was detained in May 2015 and later charged with subversion.
Yan Xin, Wu's lawyer, told Reuters he planned to appeal against the eight-year sentence handed down by the Tianjin Municipality's No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.
"He carried out a string of criminal actions to subvert state power and overthrow the socialist system and seriously harmed state security and social stability," the court said.
Advertisement
His sentence is the most severe yet in what rights groups have called an unprecedented attack on China's rights activists and lawyers, known as the 709 crackdown, which began in earnest on July 9, 2015.
Advertisement
The decision to release the sentence the day after Christmas, when there would likely be less attention from diplomats and international observers, "reeks of cynical political calculation", said Patrick Poon, Hong Kong-based researcher for Amnesty International.
Advertisement
Wu's detention led to his father, Xu Xiaoshun, also taking up activism. Xu told Reuters in July he felt compelled to speak out on his son's behalf after authorities asked him to say Wu was guilty.
Advertisement
(Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Paul Tait)
© Thomson Reuters 2017
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
China's Communist Party Expels 2 Former Defence Ministers Over Corruption: Report Millions At Risk As Almost Half Of All Major Chinese Cities Are Sinking, Warns Study China Tries To Block NGO Tribute To Dead Dissident At UN Parents Gave Names Of Interns, Doctors To CBI In Kolkata Horror: Sources How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death Pilot Dies After Plane Crashes During Aerobatic Show In France "Vandals, Scandals Marring Civic Life In Bengal": Governor On Kolkata Rape Group Backed By Bloomberg, NASA To Launch 1st Methane-Hunting Satellite Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.