China human rights lawyer gets suspended sentence for online posts
China human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang has received a suspended three-year sentence for “inciting ethnic hatred” and “picking quarrels” in online posts.
The sentence has the effect of barring Pu from law practice, report the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.). He has already been imprisoned for 18 months but will avoid further incarceration if he doesn’t commit any more crimes and abides by restrictions on his activity. The trial was held last week.
The Times calls Pu “the most prominent rights lawyer to be arrested during a far-reaching crackdown on dissent under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. That campaign has centered on lawyers, rights advocates and journalists, and the authorities have detained several hundred of them. A number have been tried in courts and imprisoned.”
One of Pu’s lawyers told the Los Angeles Times they “still firmly believe he’s not guilty” but “this result is acceptable.” He has 10 days to decide whether to appeal.
