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China jails 'New Citizens' Movement' activists | China jails 'New Citizens' Movement' activists |
(35 minutes later) | |
Three Chinese anti-corruption activists have been given lengthy jail terms for urging officials to disclose wealth. | |
Wei Zhongping and Liu Ping, associated with the New Citizens' Movement, were given six-and-a-half years in jail. A third activist, Li Sihua, received a shorter sentence. | |
Rights group Amnesty International said the charges were "preposterous". | |
China's leaders are running a crackdown on corruption, but refuse to tolerate grassroots groups with similar aims. | China's leaders are running a crackdown on corruption, but refuse to tolerate grassroots groups with similar aims. |
The three activists were detained after taking photographs with banners urging officials to disclose their assets. | The three activists were detained after taking photographs with banners urging officials to disclose their assets. |
They were put on trial in a high-security court in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, late last year. | They were put on trial in a high-security court in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, late last year. |
At the time, defence lawyers complained of serious procedural problems and said they were not confident of the outcome. | At the time, defence lawyers complained of serious procedural problems and said they were not confident of the outcome. |
New Citizens' Movement | |
The three were convicted of the broad charge of "creating a disturbance". | The three were convicted of the broad charge of "creating a disturbance". |
Liu and Wei were convicted of other charges, which Amnesty said included "gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place" and "using an evil cult to undermine law enforcement". | |
"The charges against these activists were preposterous from the very beginning," said Amnesty's William Nee. | |
The UK-based rights group described them as "prisoners of conscience" and called for their immediate release. | |
Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched an anti-corruption drive when he took over in 2012. | Chinese leader Xi Jinping launched an anti-corruption drive when he took over in 2012. |
But he has also overseen the broadest crackdown on grassroots activism that China has seen in recent years. | But he has also overseen the broadest crackdown on grassroots activism that China has seen in recent years. |
Several activists in the New Citizens' Movement, which calls for more democracy and government transparency, have been detained. | Several activists in the New Citizens' Movement, which calls for more democracy and government transparency, have been detained. |
In July last year, prominent lawyer Xu Zhiyong, one of the founders of the movement, was detained on suspicion of having "gathered crowds to disrupt public order". | In July last year, prominent lawyer Xu Zhiyong, one of the founders of the movement, was detained on suspicion of having "gathered crowds to disrupt public order". |
He was eventually jailed for four years in January. | He was eventually jailed for four years in January. |