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China Activist to Stand Trial, Lawyer Says China Activist to Stand Trial, Lawyer Says
(about 5 hours later)
HONG KONG — Prosecutors in southern China have decided to put on trial a well-known human rights campaigner, Yang Maodong, on charges of disrupting public order, his lawyer said on Tuesday.HONG KONG — Prosecutors in southern China have decided to put on trial a well-known human rights campaigner, Yang Maodong, on charges of disrupting public order, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Mr. Yang and a co-defendant are likely to be the latest in a line of activists tried for participating in a burst of protests against corruption, censorship and the detention of protesters after President Xi Jinping’s elevation to the Communist Party leadership. Mr. Yang and a co-defendant are likely to be the latest in a line of activists tried for participating in a burst of protests against corruption, censorship and the detention of protesters after President Xi Jinping’s elevation to the Communist Party leadership. 
Mr. Yang, 47, best known by his pen name, Guo Feixiong, was detained last August in Guangzhou, the southern Chinese city where he had emerged as a combative and charismatic leader of activists and aggrieved citizens who had sought to push for political change in the relatively relaxed atmosphere after Mr. Xi’s elevation in November 2012. Mr. Yang, 47, best known by his pen name, Guo Feixiong, was detained last August in Guangzhou, the southern Chinese city where he had emerged as a combative and charismatic leader of activists and aggrieved citizens who had sought to push for political change in the relatively relaxed atmosphere after Mr. Xi’s elevation in November 2012. 
For much of last year and into this year, however, security officials under Mr. Xi have overseen a concerted effort to detain, and sometimes convict and imprison, organizers of political protests and petitions. Zhang Xuezhong, a lawyer for Mr. Yang, said that a district prosecution office in Guangzhou had told him that Mr. Yang and another defendant, Sun Desheng, would stand trial on charges of “assembling a crowd to disrupt public disorder.” The maximum sentence for that charge is five years in prison.  For much of last year and into this year, however, security officials under Mr. Xi have overseen a concerted effort to detain, and sometimes convict and imprison, organizers of political protests and petitions. Zhang Xuezhong, a lawyer for Mr. Yang, said that a district prosecution office in Guangzhou had told him that Mr. Yang and another defendant, Sun Desheng, would stand trial on charges of “assembling a crowd to disrupt public order.” The maximum sentence for that charge is five years in prison. 
Mr. Zhang said the two men had taken part in a small campaign to visit tourist spots across China and have their photos taken while holding placards demanding the disclosure of officials’ wealth.Mr. Zhang said the two men had taken part in a small campaign to visit tourist spots across China and have their photos taken while holding placards demanding the disclosure of officials’ wealth.
“This is out-and-out political persecution,” Mr. Zhang said.“This is out-and-out political persecution,” Mr. Zhang said.