China charges leading dissident with subversion
Peter Terpstra
BEIJING, China, 13 December 2009 (AFP)
Leading Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo has been formally indicted for
subversion, his family and a rights group said Saturday, one year after he was
detained in the wake of signing a pro-democracy charter.
“His lawyer told me Friday that Liu Xiaobo has been formally charged with
inciting subversion of state power”, his wife Liu Xia told AFP.
The 53-year-old writer, who was involved in the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy
protests, was arrested last December after signing Charter 08, a widely
circulated petition that called for greater democracy in China.
Liu’s lawyer Shang Baojun said on Wednesday that Liu’s case had been
transferred by police to prosecutors with a recommendation he be indicted.
China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said Liu’s case will be heard by Beijing
Number One Intermediate People’s Court, though a date has yet to be set.
“After holding Liu Xiaobo over one year without a trial, officials have now
sped up prosecution and we worry that they will rush the case through trial
procedures during the holiday season,” said Jiang Yingying, a researcher for
the rights group.
“We are seriously concerned that Liu will not get a fair and open trial, and
his legal rights will not be respected,” he added.
The group condemned Liu’s indictment and called for his immediate and
unconditional release.
“Liu Xiaobo is being punished solely for the peaceful activities of expressing
his opinions and organizing fellow citizens to voice their common concerns and
ideas regarding the promotion of human rights and democracy,” said CHRD.
http://www.tibetsun.com/archive/2009/12/13/china-charges-leading-dissident-
with-subversion/
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Amnesty International Report 2009 on China:
http://report2009.amnesty.org/en/regions/asia-pacific/china
rst0wxyz
> China charges leading dissident with subversion
By sentencing them to rot in jail. OK.
> http://www.tibetsun.com/archive/2009/12/13/china-charges-leading-diss...