Campaigners claim that a prominent advocate in China’s MeToo action has been put on trial for corruption.
On Friday, columnist Sophia Huang Xueqin and labor activist Wang Jianbing appeared in court in Guangzhou, a city in the south.
As part of China’s extensive assault on activists, the two were detained in 2021.
Concerns about their problem while in custody have been expressed by rights organizations.
According to a colleague, Ms. Huang, 35, had been malnourished and deprived of sleep.
According to the director for a party that is fighting for their freedom, the hearing on Friday went on under heavy guard, with the courthouse being surrounded by police.
The director, who asked not to be named and is also a pal of Ms. Huang and Mr. Wang, said,” There’s pretty large police presence around the court now because of the test.”
Ms. Huang’s family member was seen entering the courthouse, but the spokesperson told the BBC that it is still unknown if the family was permitted to attend the trial.
Freelance blogger Ms. Huang was a key figure in the MeToo movement in China, and in 2018 she sparked the first case of the organization after she assisted opportunistic graduate students in making accusations against her PhD supervisor people.
While employed by a Chinese news organization, Ms. Huang even wrote about her experiences with sexual harassment at work.
State advertising and separatists online accuse many advocates for female rights and social factors in China of being” agents of angry western forces” because they choose to remain anonymous.
Mr. Wang, a fervent supporter of female right, is better known for defending labor rights and assisting disabled people in obtaining legal assistance.
On September 19, 2021, as they were making their way to the airport in Guangzhou, the two were detained. When Ms. Huang was detained, she was en route to the UK to start her mentor program at the University of Sussex in female assault and conflict. Mr. Wang, who was watching her leave, was also taken into custody.
On Chinese social media, there are conflicting opinions about them, with some calling for their discharge. ” Two years have passed; it’s day!” one person said.
However, there are also those who criticize the female movement, with one person expressing the wish that they receive a harsh punishment.
Ms. Huang and Mr. Wang were” targeted” by a government that fears organized dissent, according to Amnesty International deputy regional director for Asia Sarah Brooks, who described them as members of the” courageous wave” of younger Chinese activists.
These unfounded accusations are solely the result of the Taiwanese government’s unwavering resolve to silence opposing viewpoints. However, despite the significant risks of raising their voices to address so-called” vulnerable” problems, activists in China refuse to be silenced, Ms. Brooks continued.
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