Pu Zhiqiang: Chinese Rights Lawyer Gets Suspended Jail Sentence

Supporters of another famed Chinese human rights lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, who on Tuesday was handed a three-year suspended sentence with three years’ probation, fear he could meet a similar fate.

He had been facing up to eight years of jail time.

Rights groups were swift to condemned the verdict.

It was unclear the extent of the restrictions that would be placed on Pu, though it is likely that he is to be placed under police surveillance and prevented from speaking to reporters.

“This case has again raised issues about due process and transparency of justice in China”. The guilty verdict means he can no longer practice law.

While Pu is unlikely to spend any more time in prison for this case, he has already been imprisoned for 19 months and will not be allowed to practice law. “Everyone saves face”, he said.

She said the foreign journalists had then tried to interview him.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei rebuffed the concern, saying foreign governments had to respect China’s judicial sovereignty and not interfere.

Earlier Tuesday, police had seized individuals outside the courthouse and dragged them into vans.

Amnesty International called it a “gross injustice”.

Pu’s trial held on December 14 attracted global media attention as Chinese police in plainclothes scuffled with diplomats and foreign journalists outside the courtroom.

Neither China’sMinistry of Public Security nor the Beijing Higher People’s Court, which oversees the intermediate court, immediately responded to requests for comment.

Pu’s conviction is the latest in a widening crackdown by Chinese President Xi Jinping on civil activists, rights lawyers and online freedom of expression.

China, for their part, would minimize the worldwide import of the trial, while letting it stand as a warning for other dissidents.

Although Pu has argued that his actions should be protected under China’s constitutional guarantees to free speech, he told the court on Tuesday that he has no intention to appeal.

The 50-year-old was detained in May 2014 after he attended a meeting in a private home to commemorate the suppression of pro-democracy protests in and around Tiananmen Square in 1989. Since then, prosecutors had sent his case back to police for more evidence and ultimately dropped two charges.

Pu Zhiqiang was also convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble” by the No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court in Beijing.

The official Xinhua News Agency said Pu had “pleaded guilty and repented” and was therefore given a “light” sentence.

“He also said if there’s an opportunity, history will deliver a true judgment”.

“He said that he needs to rest after the disaster that was 20-something months behind bars, and that he still hopes to work towards the rule of law in China”, Mo said.

Olivia Geng contributed to this article.