Photo: Wanping Xu (the first one on the left) was with his democratic comrades.
Xu Wanping Sentenced 12 Years on the Eve of Christmas
The Epoch Times—Mr. Xu Wanping, a well-known human rights and democratic activist living in Chongqing, was sentenced on December 23 to twelve years in prison by the Chongqing Municipal First Intermediate People’s Court on charges of subversion. Mr. Liu Yang informed Chen Xianying, Xu’s wife, of the verdict by the court. Liu, director of Chongqing Fenghang Attorney’s Office, was the defense lawyer for Xu designated by the government.
The secret trial of Xu Wanping, who was accused of subversion, started at Chongqing Municipal First Intermediate People’s Court on November 3. The Court received the indictment from the procuratorate office on October 8. However, the Court and the procuratorate office refused to provide Chen Xianying with a copy of the indictment.
Chen Xianying, who is traveling to Chongqing from her hometown in Hunan, has not read the verdict yet. She told The Epoch Time’s report that Mr. Liu Yang didn’t give her the details, only saying that Xu Wanping refused to plea guilty or sign the verdict. Chen said she will appeal.
In his interview with The Epoch Times, Mr. Zhao Xin said he was surprised by the timing of the verdict. Zhao, a well-known democratic activist in Beijing, was assaulted and beaten up in Chongqing on 17th of last month. Twenty plus days ago, Chen Xianying was told by her lawyer that verdict was going to be issued in a week. At that time many friends from other cities were planning to travel to Chongqing to observe the trial. Later on, the lawyer said that the verdict was postponed because the presiding judge traveled to overseas. Unexpectedly, the authorities suddenly handed down the sentence when Chen Xianying went back to her hometown in Hunan after visiting Zhao Xin in Chengdu.
At the moment several lawyers said they would like to take the case and help Xu Wangping to appeal. In the past Chen Xianying hired Gao Zhisheng, a famous human rights lawyer in Beijing, and Wei Hai, Gao’s assistant, as defense lawyer. But the authorities didn’t allow Gao to take the case. Saying to prevent leaking of state secrets, the authorities refused to let Gao to meet the defendant. For the same reason, the authorities didn’t allow Xu Wanping’s families and friends to be present at the hearing.
Gao Zheshing, who cherishes justice and law, will defend the defendant’s legal rights in a lawful and objective way, bringing to light the authorities’ schemes, said Chen Xianying. What the authorities did simply indicated that they didn’t have a strong case.
The verdict found the defendant guilty of subversion, without referring to leaking of state secrets, said Zhao Xin. What kind of reason do the authorities have to refuse lawyers to defend the defendant?
The families and friends of Wanping Xu call on the international community and friends around the world to pay attention the case, and Chinese authorities to reverse the wrongful verdict and release Xu Wanping without condition.
Cases in which people were unjustly, falsely or wrongly charged or sentenced
According to The Epoch Times that is following the case, the state security agents in Chongqing have traveled to many provinces and cities to collect so-called evidences of Xu Wangpings’ guilt since he was arrested half a year ago. Using unlawful means, the agents took forced or cajoled confession from people as evidence to prove the charges against Xu Wanping.
Partial statistics showed that the agents illegally interrogated and detained these human rights and democratic activists: Li Yunsheng Jiang Shufa and He Bing in Chongqing; Wang Shen’s wife and young daughter, and Deng Yongliang in Si Chuan; Wang Fengshan in Ganshu; Wang Wenjiang in Liaoning; Che Hongnian in Shandong; Ma Xioaming in Shannxi; Hu Junxiong in Hubei.
Xu Wanping has always been hewing to tenets of peace, rationality, non-violence and abiding by the law, said his friends. Xu has been promoting and working for the peaceful development of democracy in China. He has never committed crimes of toppling the government or subversion. It’s ridiculous and illegal for the authorities to impose those charges against Xu Wanping.
They pointed out that authorities made up the unjust, false and wrong charges of subversion in the same way as they planted narcotics on Xu Wanping and cooked up the drug scandal in early Jun last year.
The announcement from China Democracy Party World Union in New York, the U.S.: China Democracy Party World Union strongly protests China Communist regime’s illegal and brutal action and firmly demands the release of Wanping Xu. Also, Chine Communist authorities must apologize in public to Wanping Xu and his families. Meanwhile, CDPWU call on all of the democratic organizations to make efforts for the freedom of Wanping Xu.
Introduction of Mr. Xu Wanping
Wanping Xu, 44, was put in prison twice, in 1989 and 1998 respectively, because of his involvement in democratic movements. He served 11 years in total in prison.
In 1989 Wanping Xu was put in prison because he participated in the “6.4” democratic movement and tried to organize China Action Party. He served eight years and lost his job. In 1998 he was put in prison on charges of abetting the protests by laid-off workers and served three years.
Released from prison in 2001, Wanping Xu continued his efforts to promote democracy, the rule of law, human rights and civil liberties. On the eve of June 4, 2004, Wanping Xu, under the false charges of possessing heroine, was tortured by the anti-drug police team and was bound in a chair for 48 hours.
On April 30, 2005 Wanping Xu was kidnapped. He was formally arrested on May 24 on charges of subversion. He has since been locked up in the Chongqing Municipal Detention House.
Photo: Wanping Xu (the second one on the left) was with his democratic comrades.
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