Chinese activist Xu Zhiyong sentenced to four years in prison
Lawyer Xu Zhiyong has campaigned on corruption and other issues.A Chinese court has sentenced a prominent legal scholar and rights activist to four years in prison after he called for officials to disclose their assets as part of an anti-graft campaign.
The Beijing intermediate court sentenced Xu Zhiyong on Sunday after finding him guilty of "gathering crowds to disrupt public order."
During his one-day trial last week, Xu stayed silent and did not defend himself.
Xu, a 40-year-old legal scholar, founded the grassroots New Citizens Movement, which supports democracy and the rule of law and has, as a goal, a crackdown on corrupt officials.
Seven New Citizens Movement members have stood or are standing trial this month. Three others were tried in December, though verdicts have not been delivered.
The U.S. State Department has criticized the crackdown, prompting an angry reaction from Beijing. On Tuesday, China\’s Foreign Ministry said foreign countries should not interfere with its internal issues.
Source: VOA and agencies
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