One of China’s most famous rights lawyers was given a suspended three-year term for inciting ethnic hatred and disrupting public order, his lawyer said on Tuesday, in a case that has highlighted the government’s determination to crack down on all forms of dissent.
Pu Zhiqiang, who faced a sentence of up to eight years in prison, could not be reached immediately for comment. “We argued in court that he was innocent,” said Mo Shaoping, one of Mr Pu’s two lawyers. “We do not recognise this verdict.”
“The verdict is quite disappointing,” added Qiao Mu, a friend of Mr Pu’s. “He can’t work as a lawyer after this … It also serves as a warning, reminding people that they can be jailed for their words and comments.”