No verdict yet in retrial of Chinese rights activist
The retrial of a blind Chinese activist who was sentenced to more than four years in prison after documenting claims of forced abortions concluded Monday with no verdict.
Human rights activists had welcomed the retrial, saying the case was an example of official retaliation and unjust imprisonment of dissidents based on phony charges.
Chen Guangcheng was convicted in August of damaging property and “organizing a mob to disturb traffic” after a trial in the eastern province of Shandong. This month, an appeals court overturned the conviction, citing inadequate evidence, and sent it back to the lower court in the city of Linyi.
Li Jinsong, one of two lawyers representing Chen, said he walked out of the courtroom midway through Monday’s proceedings to protest what he said was unfair treatment and meddling by local authorities.
Two of Li’s witnesses could not be found, and he said a third, Chen Guanghe, was taken away Sunday by a group of eight men he thought were either police in civilian clothes or supporters of the police. Chen Guanghe is a distant relative of Chen Guangcheng, Li said.
Li said he was prevented from gathering evidence, and was assaulted Sunday by a group of about 30 people in Chen’s home village of Dongshigu.
A verdict from the one-day trial is expected within a month.
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