Chinese authorities on Monday doomed two of China’s most leading human rights activists to captivity for the crime of” subversion of the government.”
Yaqiu Wang , China’s senior researcher for Human Rights Watch , urged international governments to demand ” immediate and unconditional ” release of the two activists .
Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi were sentenced to 14 and 12 years in prison , respectively , by a Shandong court on Monday , according to a tweet posted by Ding Jiaxi’s wife .
Xu and Ding were members of the New Citizens Movement , a loose activist group founded by Xu in 2012 to advocate for transparency in government .
In early February 2020 , Xu criticized Xi’s handling of the coronavirus crisis and pro – democracy protests in Hong Kong and urged him to step down. On February 15 , 2020 , Xu was detained at the home of a fellow activist and was kept under surveillance at his home until January 15 , 2021 , ” Amnesty said in a statement .
The United Nations , along with the head of the World Human Rights Organization , has condemned a Chinese court’s decision to sentence two prominent human rights lawyers to life immurement. We’re deeply concerned about the long captivity rulings of well- known Chinese birthrights activists Ding Jiashi and Xu Zhiyong, which are in violation of transnational birthrights norms,” spoke Volker Turk, UN’s representative.
The two were subjected to torture and other ill – treatment in custody , including constant interrogation and being tied to a ” tiger ” chair with their legs tied for more than 10 hours a day . These treatments violate the prohibition of torture and other ill – treatment under international human rights law . After investigating Xu and Ding’s cases together until January 20 , 2021 , authorities were charged with ” interfering with state power ” and informed their lawyers that their issues would be separated .
“Their trial was held behind closed doors and procedural problems and allegations of abuse were rampant , Human Rights Watch said in a statement .
“The brutal and ridiculous convictions and sentencing of Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi reveal President Xi Jinping’s ruthless hostility to peaceful activism , ” said Yaqiu Wang , senior China researcher for Human Rights Watch .
By: Muskan kumari, BBA LL.B., from The ICFAI UNIVERSITY,RANCHI, JHARKHAND
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