Chinese activist, critic of Communist Party Zhang Baocheng arrested for ‘promoting terrorism’
- Zhang Baocheng was a member of now-defunct New Citizens Movement, which campaigned for democracy and government transparency
- Wife Liu Juefan fears 60-year-old being accused of terrorism will lead to a heavy prison sentence
A Chinese anti-corruption activist who urged officials to disclose their wealth has been arrested for allegedly “promoting terrorism”, as Beijing clamps down on critics of the ruling Communist Party.
Zhang Baocheng, 60, was a member of the now-defunct New Citizens Movement, which campaigned for democracy and government transparency.
It is unusual in China for members of civil society or human rights activists to be accused of terrorism, and his wife, Liu Juefan, said she feared it suggested Zhang might receive a heavy prison sentence.
Zhang was given a two-year prison term in 2014 for “disrupting public order” after holding a banner in a crowded shopping area in Beijing urging officials to disclose their assets as a check against corruption.
He has continued to be a vocal critic of the Communist Party even after the movement was suppressed and at least 20 of its members were detained in a year-long crackdown starting in 2013.