Rights Lawyers' Sentencing Sparks Outcry Amid Crackdown in China

Chinese authorities sentenced human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng to three years in prison and his wife Xu Yan to one year and nine months. Arrested while meeting EU officials, they were charged with 'incitement to subvert state power'. Other rights lawyers, Wang Yu and Jiang Tianyong, faced similar crackdowns.

In a significant move highlighting China's continued crackdown on dissent, human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison, along with his wife Xu Yan, who received a one-year and nine-month term. The couple was arrested in April 2023 while attempting to meet European Union officials in Beijing, accused of 'picking quarrels and stirring up trouble', a common charge against critics of the Communist Party. Subsequent courtroom proceedings upgraded their charges to 'incitement to subvert state power', sparking international concern.

Simultaneously, in Hebei province, notable rights lawyers Wang Yu and Jiang Tianyong were detained outside a local court. Arriving to defend a client, they soon faced confrontation as police forcibly confiscated a camera from a client's family member, escalating tensions. Jiang was accused of assault during the ensuing scuffle, although clarifications remain murky. Reports indicate police aggression also targeted Wang Yu, leading to further legal repercussions.

Amid heightened scrutiny, Jiang received an eight-day administrative detention, with additional fines under China's Public Security Administrative Punishment Law. Concerns over the lawyers' treatment in custody were raised after reports of Wang Yu's hunger strike and harsh conditions surfaced. Multiple lawyers were denied access to the detained, intensifying the legal community's backlash and prompting formal complaints to local authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)