China Sentences Quake Activist to 5 Years' Jail

[cory777]

Source: AP

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: February 8, 2010

Filed at 10:44 p.m. ET

BEIJING (AP) -- A Chinese court Tuesday sentenced an activist who investigated the deaths of thousands of schoolchildren in the country's massive 2008 earthquake to five years in jail for inciting subversion of state power, the man's lawyer said.

Attorney Pu Zhiqiang said activist Tan Zuoren was convicted of the charge Tuesday by the Chengdu Intermediate Court. Tan's trial in August had concluded with no ruling, while police detained and threatened the man's supporters.

Tan's supporters say they believe the authorities were trying to silence him for his investigation into the collapse of schools in the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck in Sichuan province in May 2008, leaving almost 90,000 dead or missing. Tan estimated at least 5,600 students were among the dead.

The charge of inciting subversion of state power is believed linked to his quake investigation as well as essays he wrote about the 1989 student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square that ended in a deadly military crackdown. Beijing routinely uses such broad and vaguely defined accusations to imprison dissidents, sometimes for years.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/08/world/AP-AS-China-Earthquake-Dissident.html?_r=1&ref=aponline

[proteus_lives]

1. Where are all the China shills?

[cory777]

2. No kidding!

That's who I was looking for.

[TexasObserver]

5. They're not at their duty stations ... I mean, computers ... yet.

China is great. China does nothing but wonderful things. There's human rights violations all over. Everyone has them. Sure Mao was occasionally excessive, but that's not important. China doesn't need the USA. Taiwan belongs to China.

Did I leave anything out?

[proteus_lives]

6. Just one.

"The US is like Rome...."

You know who that belongs to. ;-)

[izquierdista]

15. They are indisposed

That barfing you hear from down the hall. :puke: I think there was some melamine in their breakfast.

[Mithreal]

9. Is posting a link to the following story about China's investment in universal health care shilling?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/world/asia/22iht-beijing.1.19590543.html?_r=1

I do it for the purpose of pressuring our government. There are other issues as well, not just universal health care.

Not that it terribly matters if you all do. I am just curious. The few times I have brought this up face to face there has been next to no response, like none whatsoever. I suppose it is more how you use the information and seeming intentions. Brought it up to another DU'er today who seemed to freak and be unable to engage in discussion, another seemed very surprised. Maybe I am misunderstanding some of the responses I have received. Just curious on your all take since you seem to be a little more interested.

[proteus_lives]

10. That's great!

Every country should be working on universal health care.

But China is still a bloody-handed dictatorship.

I want UHC but I wouldn't trade voting, freedom of the press or any other freedom for it.

[Mithreal]

11. Absolutely, of course.

[rpannier]

12. I'll give them a tentaive +1 for this

I'll be interested to see how it plays out over the next few years

The Chinese government has made many promises before (like paying people fair price for property taken from them for the Olympics) and turned around and gave them nothing. Well...not nothing. They gave them a hard time and sent some of them away to special camps for the crime of 'Disrupting the Harmony of the People.'

On edit: I would say yes, since it is not related to the original post

[Mithreal]

16. I can understand that response. Promises are just words.

Original posts often spin off to other discussions so I can understand the edit too if the idea of shill hadn't been introduced. Thank you.

[Jkid]

3. n/t

[TexasObserver]

4. Recommend

[gtar100]

7. China is a sick nation.

Mao simply put a military uniform on the Emperor. They are still fearful of truth and critical thinking. Asshole generals live in luxury while they enslave the masses with industrial chains, poisonous air, filthy water, and poverty. And America's corporations suck right up to them enabling this catastrophe. A great land and many great cultures ruled by jack-booted thugs.

They want to show us all the beautiful pictures, but incidents like these are cracks in the plastic coating at the palace. They really must do something about that red stain left behind.

[bluestateguy]

8. Commie pinkos

nt

[Jax]

13. cory777 how do YOU feel about this

having read you on these forums.

What say YOU about all this?

What made you pick those particular snips to quote?



Tell us.

[FreakinDJ]

14. I think it is quite obvious

Allowing China to rise to an Economic Super Power through "Most Favored Nation Trading Status" and admission into the WTO might have propelled them economically but not socially

- Kinda like a 6' 10", 300 lb Developmentally Disabled Adult with the Cognitive functions of 6 year old