(Shaanxi province) Chinese human rights lawyer Chang Weiping was sentenced to three years and six months in prison for subversion of state power. He is expected to be released in July 2024.
The infamous Xiamen Gathering
The 39-year-old human rights lawyer Chang Weiping was involved in the “Xiamen Gathering” case in 2019. After a private dinner gathering, over 20 citizens and lawyers were forcibly disappeared, summoned, or detained. All the attendees discussed current affairs and the future of China. Two of those involved, rights activist Dr. Xu Zhiyong and lawyer Ding Jiaxi, were sentenced to 14 and 12 years, respectively. Dr. Xu’s girlfriend, Li Qiaochu, was also implicated and remains in custody. Other activists including Zhang Zhongshun, Dai Zhenya, and Chen Jiaping have been released on bail pending trial.
Inciting subversion of state power
Lawyer Chang Weiping was present at the dinner, so police charged him with “inciting subversion of state power” in October 2020. Police placed him under residential surveillance at a designated location (RSDL). Xiang Xianhong, the head investigator of the case, led and participated in the torture of Chang Weiping at the Baotai Hotel. After revealing his conditions during RSDL, Chang Weiping was taken away and detained in the Fengyang Detention Center in Shaanxi province. On April 7, 2021, authorities officially arrested Chang Weiping. He has been in custody ever since.
Sentencing
On the morning of June 8, the Procuratorate sentenced Chang Weiping to three and a half years. After his case was tried behind closed doors at the Baoji Intermediate People’s Court on July 26 last year, the trial was postponed at least twice, and the verdict was repeatedly postponed.
Effects of a guilty verdict
Chang Weiping’s wife, Dr. Chen Zijuan, said after hearing the news: “Even a sentence of one day is not deserved.” Given Beijing’s common practice of dealing with political prisoners and dissidents, she fears that her husband will not have true liberty even after serving his sentence. In many cases, those convicted will not have the freedom to leave China and will remain under constant surveillance.
Comments from his lawyer
Lawyer Yang Zhanqing commented on the verdict. “From any aspect, his action has nothing to do with subversion of state power,” Yang claimed. “It is clear that it’s a retaliation against him by the local government, which turned what was a normal action of practicing law and claiming rights into a sensitive political incident, causing great harm to lawyer Chang and his family.”
Retaliation from the CCP
Chang Weiping is from Fengxiang, Shaanxi Province, China. He has fought for equal employment rights through legal channels and provided free legal advice and case assistance. During his attorney career, he provided rights protection services to many petitioners and initiated many public interest lawsuits in his local area. The Chinese Communist Party repeatedly suppressed him and even revoked his legal license.
~Gao Zhensai, Special Correspondent of ChinaAid
