Chinese human rights lawyer receives prison sentence

A Chinese court on Monday sentenced prominent human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang to 4½ years in prison on charges of subverting state power following a closed-door trial. The Tianjin No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court also said he would lose his political rights for five years, a move that would involve heightened security and possibly hinder his work as a lawyer.

Wang was among approximately 300 lawyers and activists detained in 2015 as part of the so-called “709 crackdown,” named for the date, July 9, when it happened. He is likely one of the last among the group to be tried. Wang helped found the Chinese Urgent Action Working group and was known for teaching Chinese villagers about their land and legal rights.

“It’s outrageous that Wang Quanzhang is being punished for peacefully standing up for human rights in China,” Amnesty International China researcher Doriane Lau said in a statement. “He must be immediately and unconditionally released.”