China rights lawyer jailed for 2 years, 8 months - Reuters

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BEIJING | Mon Apr 9, 2012 10:03pm EDT

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese court sentenced a disabled lawyer renowned for defending people evicted from their homes to two years and eight months in prison on Tuesday for causing a disturbance and fraud, Beijing's latest use of a controversial law to stifle dissent.

The lawyer, Ni Yulan, and her husband, Dong Jiqin, were detained in April 2011 and later convicted of the charges. Rights activists contend the charges were trumped up in an effort to silence the couple.

Dong was given two years in prison, also for "causing a disturbance", a court official told reporters at the courthouse in a western suburb of Beijing.

Ni's imprisonment is the latest signal of the ruling Communist Party's determination to stifle China's civil rights movement, which is reeling from the jailing of several dissidents in recent months.

The party is especially wary of political challenges ahead of a leadership succession later this year.

Ni has been an outspoken advocate for Chinese residents forced from their homes to make way for development, often for what residents say is grossly inadequate compensation.

Prosecutors alleged that Ni, who is disabled and wheel chair-bound, and Dong beat employees at a hotel - or what Ni has previously called a "black jail" - where they were forced to stay after their home was demolished in 2008.

A "black jail" is an informal detention site, such as a hotel or government guesthouse, used to hold protesters and petitioners without resorting to legal procedures.

(Reporting by Sui-Lee Wee; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Chris Buckley)

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Chinese rights lawyer jailed 2 years, 8 months

Beijing (Reuters)-a Chinese court sentenced a lawyer to defend the people with disabilities, which is known to remove their homes, for a period of two years and eight months in prison on Tuesday for causing interference, and fraud, the Beijing last disputed the right to suppress dissent.

Lawyer, Ni Yulan, and her husband was detained April 2011, Dong Jiqin and later convicted of charges. Rights activists claim were trumped when you try to silence a couple.

Dong was given two years in prison, including "cause disruption", the Court of Justice, the official told reporters in Beijing on the Western suburb of the district.

Ni's imprisonment to stifle the Communist China set-the civil rights movement, which is the position of the textile fabrics from many of the jailing in recent months, the latest version of the signal.

The party is particularly concerned by the fact that the political challenges of leadership succession later this year.

Ni has been outspoken of the Advocate General at the homes are forced to make way for the development, the residents often say the Chinese people is outrageous compensation.

Prosecutors argued that the Ni, who is disabled, and the wheel chair-bound, and Dong beat hotel-or what is called the "Ni" black jail "-workers, in which they were forced to stay at home was demolished after the end of the year 2008.

The "Black jail" is the unofficial detention site, such as a hotel or guesthouse, use Klimaflüchtlinge and performers subject to the legal procedures of petitions.

(Reports of the Sui-Lee viikk; Ben Blanchard; writing editing, Chris Buckley)

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