New | Chinese activists’ subversion trial likened to a battle between justice and evil
Lawyer describes being ill-treated in jail that was ‘worse than a Nazi concentration camp’
Human rights lawyer Tang Jingling last Friday described the pain and humiliation he and his two fellow activists had endured, saying it “far exceeded criminal punishment” but was also “a glorious crowning”.
In a 14,600-word defence statement in the Guangzhou court where he, Wang Qingying and Yuan Chaoyang were facing the charge of subversion of state power, Tang described the controversial trial as a battle of “darkness versus light, destruction versus hope”.
“Even if justice is temporarily defeated, it is still mightier than evil,” Tang said. “Even if we can’t stop evil from spreading, we can hold on to our pursuit of freedom and justice.”
Tang, Wang and Yuan, also known as Yuan Xinting, were arrested in May last year for “starting quarrels and provoking trouble”. The charge was later changed to the more serious “inciting subversion of state power”.
Tang faced up to 15 years in jail while the other two could be jailed for up to five years, their defence lawyers said. They added that the trio were indicted based on “insufficient” evidence and would appeal if convicted.
Friday’s hearing followed a sweeping crackdown on rights advocates a fortnight ago that has seen more than 200 people arrested, detained or put under watch.
