Veteran Chinese human rights activist Hu Shigen sentenced to over seven years in jail
By Lobsang Tenchoe
DHARAMSALA, August 3: A well known Chinese human rights activist was sentenced to over seven years in prison earlier today for ‘subverting state power’ as another activist was given a three-year suspended sentence for the same offence yesterday.
Hu Shigen, a veteran pro-democracy activist and underground church leader in China, was given seven years and six months’ imprisonment and deprived of political rights for five years sentence by in Tianjin No. 2 People’s Procuratorate on the second day of hearing against four human rights advocates, reports South China Morning Post, August 3.
The 61-year-old veteran who had earlier served 14 years of a 20-year sentence from 1994 to 2008 for inciting, organizing and leading “counter-revolutionary” activities pleaded guilty and said he will not appeal.
He further confessed his involvement in attempting to overthrow the Communist Party and vowed to refrain from taking part in any anti-government or anti-Communist Party activities in the future.
Since 2009, he has used illegal religious organizations to attract illicit lawyers and paid petitioners to spread subversive thoughts and ideas, reports state-run Xinhua news agency.
During the proceeding he thanked the government for looking after him while he fell ill in the prison.
“I want to thank the police, procuratorate, judges and medical staff for their help and education, which has been more memorable than any time before. I am resolved not to participate in any activities against the Party and government in the future, and be a citizen abiding by the law,” outlookindia.com quoted Hu was as saying in its report on August 3.
