Update | Chinese rights activist first among those in massive crackdown to get jail term as wife claims she was barred from trial
Zhai Yanmin sentenced to three years, suspended for four years, but wife questions if trial followed ‘rule of law’
A mainland court convicted a human rights advocate on Tuesday for subverting state power in the first trial following a massive crackdown against lawyers and activists last year.
In a rare arrangement, the government allowed a few media outlets from outside the mainland, including the South China Morning Post, to cover the hearing of Zhai Yanmin, but the gesture of transparency wasn’t enough to reassure his wife, who was barred from attending, and called into question the legality of the proceedings.
The Tianjin No 2 Intermediate People’s Court sentenced Zhai, 55, to three years’ jail, suspended for four years, after a three-hour hearing. Roads near the court was sealed off and heavily guarded by police during the trial.
Zhai, a rights activist, pleaded guilty and was defended by a lawyer appointed by the government.
The hearing was the first of four days of trials involving four lawyers and activists. Also due in court are the director of the Beijing-based Fengrui Law Firm, Zhou Shifeng, and two other rights activists, Hu Shigen and Gou Hongguo. Hu, an underground church pastor, is expected to stand trial today.