Wei Zhongping
Chinese court hands down harsh jail sentences to New Citizen Movement activists
China to hold trial of anti-graft activists
Wei Zhongping is a human rights defender who was active in the New Citizens' Movement, a loose collection of individuals who campaigned for increased transparency among Chinese Communist Party officials and greater equality within the education system, as well as for Constitutional government.
Chinese HRDs face intimidation, harassment, house arrest, abductions, torture and imprisonment. They also work under very restrictive legislation, including laws which criminalize all unauthorized demonstrations and require government sponsorship for NGO registration, which is refused to any organisation touching on human rights issues. Widescale investigations into NGOs with links to overseas organisations took place in 2014 and 2015 resulting in harassment, detentions and forced closures.
