China Gives Dissident Wei 14-Year Term

A Chinese court today convicted leading dissident Wei Jingsheng of attempting to overthrow the government and sentenced him to 14 years in prison.

Wei, 45, was also deprived of his political rights for three years, according to the Beijing Intermediate People’s Court. The trial was conducted before a handpicked Chinese audience, including members of Wei’s family and at least one defense attorney. Foreign reporters and diplomats attempting to enter the courtroom were kept more than 300 yards away from the courthouse building in western Beijing.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Rob Laing said, “We have no official comment at this time.”

Wei came to prominence in 1979 for powerful essays about democracy and human rights during a short-lived pro-democracy movement.

Wei had faced a minimum of 10 years in jail and possible execution if convicted.

Wei had only a few days to prepare a trial and obtain a lawyer.

State-run news agencies have not carried any stories about the case as part of a government effort to keep the public ignorant about the nation’s tiny dissident community.

China’s leaders are determined to stamp out dissent during the struggle over who will succeed Deng Xiaoping, the architect of China’s economic reforms who is now old and feeble. They have been emboldened by Western governments’ unwillingness to sacrifice growing trade with Beijing for human rights.

Wei was released in 1993 after serving 14 1/2 years of a 15-year prison sentence for his pro-democracy activities. He immediately called again for democracy for China in essays and interviews.

Wei disappeared into custody on April 1, 1994, and was held for 20 months before authorities charged him in November with trying to overthrow the government.

Associated Press contributed to this report.