Trial and Imprisonment
Yuan was tried by the Jixi City Intermediate People's Court on January 12, 2009. On March 4 was found guilty of "inciting subversion of state power", and sentenced to four years in prison and five years’ deprivation of political rights. The verdict is being appealed. The charge against Yuan hinged on four main accusations: first, that he distributed an article entitled "Save China, Implement Constitutional Democracy" to petitioners and representatives attending the National People's Congress in Beijing in 2005; second, that he gave interviews to the Epoch Times and other foreign media; third, that he received funds from domestic and overseas organizations; and finally, that he drafted over twenty articles "attacking" socialism. These actions provided the “evidence” necessary for authorities to punish Yuan.
Although it was not formally mentioned at the trial, it is believed that Yuan was also arrested in part for helping Yang Chunlin (杨春林), a Heilongjiang farmers' representative, collect signatures endorsing an open letter entitled "We Want Human Rights, Not the Olympics". Yang was sentenced to five years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power" on March 24, 2008.
Read more about this topic: Yuan Xianchen
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