Activists’ Trials Said to Begin

China has begun prosecution procedures against a prominent human rights activist and at least 10 students among the leaders of last year’s democracy movement, with long prison terms looming for those convicted, Chinese sources said Wednesday.

The sources said activist Ren Wanding and the students were formally arrested in recent weeks and are among hundreds of detainees at Qincheng Prison.

Government agencies declined to respond to inquiries on the detainees.

The London-based human rights group Amnesty International asked the Chinese government Wednesday to disclose what happened to the thousands of prisoners arrested since the crackdown last June.