China: Olympic Activist Deprived of Due Process
19 Feb 2008 22:12:53 GMT
Source: Human Rights Watch
(New York, February 19, 2008) – The trial of Yang Chunlin, the land rights activist who collected more than 10,000 signatures for his petition, "We want human rights, not the Olympics," did not meet minimum standards of fair trial and due process, Human Rights Watch said today.
Yang's trial on February 19 lasted less than a day. Yang, an activist from Heilongjiang province, was arrested in July 2007 for his involvement in a petition against illegal land seizures by officials and writing essays denouncing official wrongdoings. These activities form the basis of the charges of "inciting subversion against state power." In recent months, Human Rights Watch has documented the use of similar charges against six other dissidents and activists, indicating a 
