Chinese businesswoman Geng Xiaonan jailed after voicing support for Beijing critic

The 46-year-old is said to have been handed a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges including ‘illegal business activities’

She was detained, along with her husband, after she spoke out in defence of dissident law professor Xu Zhangrun

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Entrepreneur Geng Xiaonan, 46, has been jailed for three years. Photo: Weibo

Published: 11:57pm, 9 Feb 2021Updated: 12:45am, 10 Feb 2021

A Chinese businesswoman was sentenced to three years’ jail on Tuesday, according to her supporters, after she spoke out in defence of dissident law professor Xu Zhangrun, who has openly criticised the Communist Party and President Xi Jinping.

Geng Xiaonan, 46, and her husband Qin Zhen, as well as employees of her private publishing company, stood trial at the Haidian District People’s Court in Beijing after the couple were detained in September and investigated for “illegal business operations”.

There was a heavy police presence outside the court and supporters said they were barred from entering. Friends including Xu and activists Ji Feng and Yan Zhengxue were stopped by the authorities from leaving their homes to attend the hearing.

The trial was broadcast live by the Haidian court but footage was taken down from its website after it was viewed more than 80,000 times and it did not release a statement on the case.

After asking the court to disregard her legal defence, Geng pleaded guilty to charges including conducting illegal business activities, according to a video of the trial that was captured and posted online.

Xu Zhangrun was said to have been stopped from leaving his home on Tuesday. Photo: Sohu

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