China sentences activist to 10 years over writings

[Roybot]

By GILLIAN WONG, Associated Press – 1 hour ago

BEIJING (AP) — A court has sentenced a democracy activist in central China to 10 years' imprisonment for subversion, a family member said Thursday. It's the third lengthy jail term handed down to a dissident in less than a month.

Li Tie was sentenced by a court in Wuhan city to 10 years in jail on Wednesday after being convicted of subversion based on articles that he had written, said the relative, who did not want to be named due to fear of official retaliation.

Li said in court he is innocent because the Chinese constitution protects citizens' freedom of expression, the Hong Kong-based Chinese Human Rights Defenders group said in a statement. The group said Li was arrested in September 2010 and his trial was held in April.

Wang Songlian, a researcher with the group, said Li's case is similar to those of Chen Wei and Chen Xi, rights activists who were separately sentenced late last month to nine and 10 years in prison, respectively, for posting essays on the Internet that the government deemed subversive.

"They are all activists with a long track record of promoting democracy in China, who have refused to bend despite severe persecution," Wang said. "Their sentences are the Chinese government's response to the Arab Spring: Freedom and democracy are dirty words, and anyone advocating for them will be punished harshly."

Communist leaders launched a sweeping effort to crush dissent early last year in response to anonymous online calls urging Chinese to imitate protests that toppled governments in North Africa and the Middle East.In Wednesday's case, the Wuhan Intermediate Court refused to allow Li to be represented by an attorney of his choice and instead appointed a lawyer to defend him, the relative said.

"From the beginning to the end, it has been all nonsense," said the family member. "The question of subverting state power does not exist."Li will appeal the sentence if the family is able to hire a lawyer, the relative said.A man at the Wuhan court office who answered the phone hung up as soon as he heard the caller was from The Associated Press. Subsequent calls rang unanswered.

According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders, prosecutors said that because Li wrote articles critical of the government and participated in discussions on "reactionary" websites, it should be presumed that he would engage in anti-government actions

The Associated Press: China sentences activist to 10 years over writings

 

[below_freezing]

Post what he wrote.

 

[illusion8]

What's the jail term for?? what crime did he commit?

 

[Roybot]

Post what he wrote.

Why risk it? You might land up in jail too.

---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 PM ----------

What's the jail term for?? what crime did he commit?

He wrote a pro democracy article on the internet.

 

[Black Widow]

In communist regime you can not talk against them. I have seen communist goons cutting fingers of ppl who voted against them in West Bengal general elections.

They use to abduct and kill the strong opponents. Communists rank two in cruelty after Military junta. What a pity, ppl are jailed for mere expressing there thoughts.

 

[below_freezing]

Why risk it? You might land up in jail too.

---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 PM ----------



He wrote a pro democracy article on the internet.

Readers have no guilt, the speaker should be careful. - Wen Jiabao.

 

[Smarterthanyou]

Post what he wrote.

Who cares what he wrote. Since when do words hurt the so called high IQ? If we implemented your retarded rules, all of your immigrant brothers on this forum would be kicked out of our country.

Folks, this is exactly what I've been saying here. The Chinese are a hoax, their self provided numbers, data are a hoax. This is a country that is scared about "words" . And you think that their claim of high PISA and IQ are true?

 

[below_freezing]

Who cares what he wrote. Since when do words hurt the so called high IQ? If we implemented your retarded rules, all of your immigrant brothers on this forum would be kicked out of our country.

immigrants? are you a native American? were you born in the US?

i care substantially about what he wrote. Bradley Manning does too.

 

[illusion8]

Why risk it? You might land up in jail too.

---------- Post added at 03:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 PM ----------



He wrote a pro democracy article on the internet.

If you don't like what someone wrote just debunk it or ignore it and move on, throwing him in jail for 10 years, what crap is this???

 

[Roybot]

Readers have no guilt, the speaker should be careful. - Wen Jiabao.

Right, but surely people who try to search for such articles might get into trouble as well? Anyways can't find anything am guessing most of his articles were in Chinese.

Li, 52, was convicted for writing 13 essays that called for defending "people's rights" that he published in newspapers overseas and on the internet, said the relative. One of the essays was entitled "Human Beings' Dignity is equivalent to heaven," the source said.

"He worshipped Chairman Mao and would use Mao Zedong's Thought in his essays," the source said, referring to the communist theory espoused by China's former paramount leader. "He always used to tell me: 'I'm using the language of the Communist Party, so why are they after me?'" the relative said.

China sentences writer to 10 years prison for subversion | World news | guardian.co.uk

 

[Humanist]

10 years just for writing .... Unbelievable ..

 

[Smarterthanyou]

immigrants? are you a native American? were you born in the US?

i care substantially about what he wrote. Bradley Manning does too.

Care or you meant to say that his words devastate you emotionally into a depression and crying fit. Because short of that, nobody's words would mean a jail sentence to anyone in civilized world. Born , raised and will die here and promise to not run off with my money to china

Bradley manning you emotionally defeated man, did not write anything , he published secret documents , again surprised you so called high IQ Chinese would not know the difference.

 

[Black Widow]

If you don't like what someone wrote just debunk it or ignore it and move on, throwing him jail for 10 years, what crap is this???

This is called communism, Total annihilation of opponent. Communists can kill million if they don't agree. Mass massacre is the tool of communism.

 

[illusion8]

This is called communism, Total annihilation of opponent. Communists can kill million if they don't agree. Mass massacre is the tool of communism.

Pity the Chinese members who are very eager to comment on other countries affairs when they lack the basic freedom to even remotely criticize their own government.