Advertisement
China human rights activist Ding Jiaxi under investigation for ‘incitement of subversion’
- Ding, who was rounded up with other dissidents, was part of the New Citizens’ Movement, which advocates working within the system for political change
- Lawyer says his request to meet with his client has been rejected, and Ding is barred from contacting his family or legal counsel
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Police in eastern China told the lawyer of a civil rights activist on Friday that his client was being investigated for alleged incitement of subversion as part of a government crackdown on dissent that started late last year.
Lawyer Peng Jian, who represented Ding Jiaxi, said he was told by police in Yantai, Shandong province, that the 53-year-old activist was officially under investigation and that his request to meet Ding had been rejected.
Ding is being held under “residential surveillance” – a form of secretive detention – and is barred from contacting his family or lawyer.
Advertisement
According to Peng, if Ding is finally charged and convicted, he could face a jail term of up to 15 years since it was his second run-in with the law in five years. The activist was sentenced to 3½ years in prison in 2014 for disrupting public order and was released in October 2016.
Advertisement
“He is now held for the second time in five years,” Peng said. “If he is convicted again, he may face a stiff sentence.”
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x