Word: weis
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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Although few in number, China's pro-democracy activists invariably bear the brunt of any crackdown. That was shown again last month when Wei Jingsheng, the country's most renowned dissident, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for "engaging in activities to overthrow the government." Wei had already spent 16 years in jail since his first campaign for greater freedoms in 1978, during the last big political transition. His sentencing brought protests from the West, but China ignored them. Two weeks ago, three Tiananmen activists were detained in coastal Zhejiang province for collecting signatures demanding Wei's release...
...three-judge panel in Beijing upheld a 14-year sentence for Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng. One of the leaders of the 1979 Democracy Wall movement, Wei has spent all but seven months of the past 16 years in prison on charges of sedition. It was Wei's continued pro-democracy activities during a seven month period while on parole in 1993, chief among them a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State John Shattuck, that led to his arrest and trial. "From the government's point of view, Wei did something wrong," notes TIME's Hannah Bloch. "He continued...
Ignoring international human rights concerns, China sentenced its best-known dissident, Wei Jingsheng, to 14 years' imprisonment for sedition, citing his nonviolent advocacy of democratic reforms. Wei has already served 14 1/2 years in prison for his essays calling for political freedom during the 1978-79 Democracy Wall movement...
FlorCruz reports that the sudden verdict and sentencing of Wei after he spent 20 months in jail without being charged with anything has many Western observers puzzled. "They've been able to get away with indefinitely detaining him without hearing too much international outcry. So why try him now? Perhaps internal politics demand that the leadership do something firm to appear strong they prepare for the upcoming struggle over Deng's succession...
Reinforcing its image as a human-rights-challenged state, China charged prominent dissident Wei Jingsheng with attempting to overthrow the government. Wei, who has enjoyed just six months of freedom since being arrested in 1979 for his leadership of the Democracy Wall movement, was rearrested in April 1994 and held without charge. He now faces a long prison term or possibly even execution...