China: another anti-graft activist on trial, lawyer missing
Event- Country
- China
- Initial Date
- Apr 10, 2014
- Event Description
A Chinese anti-corruption campaigner went on trial in Beijing on Thursday, his lawyer said, joining two others who appeared in court this week as China's government cracks down on activists. Zhao Changqing, 45, faces a possible five year prison sentence for supporting activists who unveiled banners in Beijing calling for government officials to disclose their assets -- despite not being present, his lawyer Zhang Peihong said. Zhao is associated with the New Citizens Movement, a loose-knit network of campaigners against corruption, among other issues. China jailed a founder of the movement in January, and more than 10 other members have been tried. Zhao pleaded not guilty to a charge of "gathering a crowd to disrupt public order" for his alleged involvement in three small-scale protests in Beijing, which saw activists unfurl banners, Zhang said. "(Zhao) didn't disturb public order in any way, he didn't even appear on the scene of the protests, because he was worried about his family," he said, adding that the hearing lasted around three hours. Fellow anti-graft activists Ding Jiaxi and Li Wei were also put on trial this week over the protests. China's ruling Communist Party is in the midst of a highly-publicised anti-corruption campaign, which President Xi Jinping has pledged will target both high-ranking "tigers" and low-level "flies" in the face of public anger over the issue. But the party has cracked down harshly on independent activists who have the same goals, viewing independently organised anti-corruption protests as a challenge to its rule. Zhao was previously jailed for his role as a leader during the 1989 pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square, and has served more than eight years in jail for his continued political campaigning. A court in Beijing sentenced Xu Zhiyong, a legal campaigner and a founder of the New Citizens Movement, to four years in prison in January for his role in the protests. The verdict was condemned by the US and the European Union. Xu's lawyers said the trial was subject to political interference, and appealed, with a court set to announce its decision on Friday. UPDATE- 18/04/14: The four Chinese anti-graft activists were sentenced to prison on charges of "gathering a crowd to disrupt public order." Ding Jiaxi was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, Zhao Changqing got a two-and-a-half year sentence and Li Wei and Zhang Baocheng got two-year terms. Critics claim that contrary to the court's public rationale, the four were sentenced because they had publicly called on Chinese Communist Party leadership to disclose their assets. Their prosecution is part of a broader crackdown on dissenting voices- the worst in years, observers say.
- Impact of Event
- 2
- Violation
- (Arbitrary) Arrest and Detention
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of assembly
- Freedom of association
- Right to information
- Right to Protest
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Pending
- Event Location
Latitude: 39.90403000000002
Longitude: 116.407526
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 10 April 2014 Zhao Changqing, a member of the New Citizens' Movement (NCM), went on trial on charges of gathering a crowd to disrupt public order, in connection to a display of banners in Beijing which he allegedly supported (but was not present at). His trial comes as three other NCM anti-graft activists, Ding Jiaxi, Li Wei and Zhang Baocheng, are on trial on the same charges. Ten members of the NCM have been tried since January. Meanwhile, Wang Jinping, a lawyer providing assistance to Zhao's lawyer in the case, has gone missing this week while driving from Beijing to Guangzhou, although the exact date of his disappearance is unclear and it is not yet known if he has been detained. UPDATE- 18/04/14: Four Chinese anti-graft activists were sentenced to prison on charges of "gathering a crowd to disrupt public order." Ding Jiaxi was sentenced to three-and-a-half years, Zhao Changqing got a two-and-a-half year sentence and Li Wei and Zhang Baocheng got two-year terms. Critics claim that contrary to the court's public rationale, the four were sentenced because they had publicly called on Chinese Communist Party leadership to disclose their assets. Their prosecution is part of a broader crackdown on dissenting voices- the worst in years, observers say.