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Chinese billionaire pig farmer jailed for 'provoking trouble'
Source: The Guardian and agencies
Chinese billionaire pig farmer jailed for ‘provoking trouble’
Agricultural mogul Sun Dawu given 18-year sentence in case observers believe was politically motivated
Helen Davidson in Taipei and agencies
@heldavidson
Wed 28 Jul 2021 12.08 BST
Sun Dawu, a Chinese billionaire pig farmer and agricultural mogul, has been sentenced after weeks of hearings in secret to 18 years in prison and fined 3.11m yuan (£345,000) for a catalogue of crimes including “provoking trouble”, in a case observers believe was politically motivated.
The court in Gaobeidian, near Beijing, said Sun was guilty of crimes including “gathering a crowd to attack state organs”, “obstructing government administration” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, a catch-all term often used against human rights figures and dissidents.
Sun, an outspoken supporter and friend of Chinese political dissidents, was arrested on 11 November alongside more than 20 others including his wife, two sons and daughters-in-law.
Groups including Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) say the prosecution is apparent retaliation for Sun’s long support and friendships with Chinese dissidents, even after nationwide campaigns targeting them made such associations increasingly dangerous.
“When the government violates its own laws in order to silence those with the means to support commitments to social justice and official accountability, it profoundly weakens the vitality of China’s economy and its leaders’ promises to rule by law,” said Ramona Li, a senior researcher at CHRD, at the beginning of Sun’s trial this month.
-snip-
Agricultural mogul Sun Dawu given 18-year sentence in case observers believe was politically motivated
Helen Davidson in Taipei and agencies
@heldavidson
Wed 28 Jul 2021 12.08 BST
Sun Dawu, a Chinese billionaire pig farmer and agricultural mogul, has been sentenced after weeks of hearings in secret to 18 years in prison and fined 3.11m yuan (£345,000) for a catalogue of crimes including “provoking trouble”, in a case observers believe was politically motivated.
The court in Gaobeidian, near Beijing, said Sun was guilty of crimes including “gathering a crowd to attack state organs”, “obstructing government administration” and “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”, a catch-all term often used against human rights figures and dissidents.
Sun, an outspoken supporter and friend of Chinese political dissidents, was arrested on 11 November alongside more than 20 others including his wife, two sons and daughters-in-law.
Groups including Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) say the prosecution is apparent retaliation for Sun’s long support and friendships with Chinese dissidents, even after nationwide campaigns targeting them made such associations increasingly dangerous.
“When the government violates its own laws in order to silence those with the means to support commitments to social justice and official accountability, it profoundly weakens the vitality of China’s economy and its leaders’ promises to rule by law,” said Ramona Li, a senior researcher at CHRD, at the beginning of Sun’s trial this month.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/28/chinese-billionaire-pig-farmer-sun-dawu-jailed-for-provoking-trouble