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Chinese activist charged with subversion of state power goes on trial Chinese activist Zhai Yanmin found guilty of subversion
(about 1 hour later)
A Chinese activist has gone on trial in Tianjin, as part of a year-long government crackdown on legal activism. Chinese rights activist Zhai Yanmin has been found guilty of subverting state power after a one-day trial in Tianjin.
Zhai Yanmin is the first of a group of four activists and lawyers to be tried by China for "subverting state power". Zhai was among 300 lawyers and activists arrested since July last year as part of a crackdown on legal activism - about 20 are still detained.
A prominent lawyer from the same firm, Wang Yu, was released on bail on Monday after a video appeared in which she renounced her legal work. In the first trial since the crackdown, he was give a three-year suspended prison sentence.
About 300 lawyers and activists have been detained in recent months. The cases have provoked international criticism and accusations they are politically motivated.
Observers have said the cases are politically motivated. Human rights groups have called on China to release them. A further three activist from Zhai's law firm Fengrui, which specialises in human rights cases, are also on trial in Tianjin.
The BBC's John Sudworth, who is in Tianjin, said the BBC team was stopped from filming outside the court by police, despite official Chinese media describing the trial as "open". Hu Shigen, Zhou Shifeng and Li Heping are facing the same charge.
Mr Zhai, a prominent human rights campaigner whose activism began with the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison. On Monday, prominent Fengrui lawyer Wang Yu was apparently released on bail, after a video appeared in which she renounced her legal work.
The families of some of those arrested said in a statement on Monday that the trial was "ridiculous and evil". But it was not clear when the video was filmed, nor whether Ms Wang was now free.
The group is widely known as "709" - a reference to the date the crackdown was launched on 9 July 2015. Chinese state media said the court had taken three hours to reach its verdict against Zhai, whose activism began with the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989.
"As 709 family members, we solemnly make this appeal to Chinese citizens and international friends: please pay attention to and condemn the trial." China Daily said he had posted comments online that harmed national security and social stability, and organised protests to disturb the public order.
The statement also alleged that the wife of Mr Zhai was missing, with others facing the risk of being "taken away". The Xinhua state news agency described Zhai as a paid protester and "an unemployed resident of Beijing".
The family members said they were not allowed to attend Tuesday's trial. The suspended sentence means he will not go to jail, but will be heavily supervised and unable to be involved in any political activities.
Xinhua, the state media agency, said the trial would be open to observers and that 28 people were expected to attend, including "12 representatives from domestic media and five others from international media". 'Ridiculous and evil'
Human rights lawyer Zhou Shifeng and the two other activists, Hu Shigen and Gou Hongguo are also expected to go on trial over the next four days. Xinhua has said the trial would be open to observers and the international media, but the BBC's John Sudworth, in Tianjin, said the BBC was stopped from filming outside the court by police.
In a video released on Monday, Ms Wang denounced Mr Zhou, the law firm's head, as an unqualified lawyer. The detained lawyers are widely known as "709" - a reference to the date the crackdown was launched on 9 July 2015.
She added that "foreign forces" were using her law firm to undermine and discredit the Chinese government. The families of some of those arrested said in a statement on Monday that the trial was "ridiculous and evil", and appealed for the trial to be given international attention.
The statement also alleged that the wife of Zhai was missing, with others facing the risk of being "taken away".
The family members said they were not allowed to attend the trial.
China's crackdown last year targeted the country's small human rights advocacy movement, and involved lawyers tackling cases to do with freedom of speech, religion or abuses of power.
Most of the arrested activists were released but observers say China is taking a strong line against those still in detention.
In a video of Wang Yu which was released on Monday, she denounced the head of Fengrui, Zhou Shifeng, as an unqualified lawyer.
She added that "foreign forces" were using the firm to undermine and discredit the government.
Observers said there were indications the "confession" was coerced. In recent months forced public confessions have been used in several cases in China.Observers said there were indications the "confession" was coerced. In recent months forced public confessions have been used in several cases in China.