Chinese dissident sentenced to 9 years in prison

[News_Editor]

Chinese dissident sentenced to 9 years in prison

2011-12-24 04:53:11 GMT+7 (ICT)

BEIJING (BNO NEWS) -- A Chinese court on Friday sentenced veteran rights activist Chen Wei to nine years in prison, one of the harshest sentences involving a dissident in China this year.

The court in Suining in southwestern Sichuan province found the 42-year-old guilty of 'inciting subversion of state power.' Chen had published essays online which mentioned the 1989 Tiananmen protests, calling for freedom of speech and reform.

"Everyone has opinions, but he was brave enough to express his openly and was punished for it," Wang Xiaoyan, Chen's wife, said in an interview with CNN. "I feel no sadness, just pure anger at how this all played out."

Chen was detained by central government security officials in February after they invited him to have tea, play poker and eat lunch, amid a government crackdown on the Jasmine protests. His family was not given a reason for his detention, CNN reported.

"He was always brought in for questioning after his role in the '89 protests, so I didn't think too much of it at first," Wang said. "The court and government officials decided he was guilty even before the trial started. During the trial, they wouldn't let our side speak and always interrupted our lawyer. It was a joke."

Chen had no plans to plead not guilty because it would make no difference, Liang Xiaojun, one of his lawyers, told CNN. "I'm not planning to overthrow any regime," Chen said during the trial that lasted just over two hours. "I'm seeking for democracy through non-violent means."

The London-based human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the sentencing and urged Chinese authorities to release Chen immediately and unconditionally. "Chen Wei is being punished for peacefully expressing his ideas," said Catherine Baber, Deputy Asia-Pacific Director for Amnesty International.

Chen was one of more than 130 people who were detained during the Jasmine protests earlier this year, which were inspired by uprisings in the Middle East. Online activists urged people to protest for political reform, but security forces quickly crushed the protests.

"This is the toughest sentence given to anyone who was arrested and charged during the so-called Jasmine crackdown, when the government rounded up activists out of fear for potential demonstrations inspired by the Middle East and North Africa," Baber said. "We think the government is punishing Chen Wei for his many years of activism and trying to send a strong message to any would-be critics."

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