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Chen Wei jailed in China for 'subversive' writing

rds1207

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Nov 5, 2011
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Chinese writer Chen Wei has been sentenced to nine years in jail for "inciting subversion of state power".

Mr Chen published several essays online calling for freedom of speech and reform of China's one-party system.

He was one of hundreds of people arrested earlier this year when the authorities tried to put down the start of an Arab Spring-style uprising.

He told the court he was not guilty and that "democracy will prevail" in China, say reports.

Mr Chen has always insisted he was simply expressing his opinions as allowed under the Chinese constitution.

The indictment against Mr Chen listed several essays he wrote for foreign websites on topics including pieces which criticised the political system in China and praised the growth of civil society.

The trial in Suining was held behind closed doors and lasted only two hours. In addition to the jail sentence, Mr Chen's had his political rights taken away for a further two years.

His lawyer, Zheng Jianwei, told Reuters news agency that after the verdict was announced, Mr Chen told the court: "Dictatorship will fail, democracy will prevail."

Mr Chen's wife, Wang Xiaoyan, told the BBC she was "very unhappy" with the verdict, and that he would consider a possibly appeal.

Mrs Wang said she and Mr Chen's brother and sister were allowed in court but that others present appeared to have been brought there by the authorities.

She had earlier told Reuters he had been detained for "nothing but his essays".

"He'll maintain that he's completely innocent," she told Reuters, adding that she had not seen her husband since he was arrested in February.

Human rights observers at the court for the trial said there were a large police presence and that two activists had been questioned taken away.

Campaign group Human Rights in China (HRC) said Mrs Wang and other members of Mr Chen's family have faced harassment from the police during his detention, and that he had only been permitted to meet his lawyers twice since he was detained.

Defence lawyers had been told to keep their comments brief in the courtroom, said the group, in a sign they wanted the trial to be over quickly.

Mr Chen is a veteran pro-democracy campaigner, having been jailed for his part in the student protest in 1989 which were crushed in Tiananmen Square.

He is also a sign signatory of Charter 08 - a manifesto for democratic reform that was co-written by Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo.

Mr Liu is serving an 11-year jail term for his role in producing the document, a sentence which has been widely criticised by governments and rights groups around the world.:eek:
 
I know nobody from chinese forum member will comment ON this thread because they may face jail for nine years.:china:

China will have democracy one day, but it will not be Western-style multi-party democracy. :lol:

It will be our own unique system, like the one we have today.
 
China will have democracy one day, but it will not be Western-style multi-party democracy. :lol:

It will be our own unique system, like the one we have today.

its better to woo communists than supporting democratic regime..
Any chinese supporter of CHEN WEI here?
 

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