Chinese government heightens opposition to critic

….Hands rights lawyer 2 years jail term for inciting sedition
In demonstration of its non-tolerance for any kind of agitation by the government, a court in China’s southern Hunan province has sentenced prominent rights lawyer Jiang Tianyong to two years in prison on the charge of inciting state subversion.

Prior to his arrest in November last year, 46-year-old Jiang had taken on numerous high-profile cases, including those of Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetan protesters and victims of the 2008 contaminated milk power scandal before being disbarred for his activism in 2009.

Jiang was critical of Chinese authorities’ crackdown on dissent, which began in July of 2015 — a crackdown that critics argue has made a mockery of China’s pledges to improve rule of law.

Since his arrest, Jiang has been unlawfully deprived of legal representation, Jin said, as the lawyers hired by her to defend Jiang were denied access to their client.

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Two court-appointed lawyers have refused to talk to her since authorities held a so-called “open” trial for Jiang in August — publishing details on social media.

Jiang is the twelfth lawyer to be sentenced since China began a sweeping crackdown more than two years ago that has seen more than 300 lawyers targeted. Two of those lawyers have filed an appeal.

Agency report said that Jiang’s wife and rights activists denounced the sentence, calling it “unlawful.” They said Chinese authorities are trying to use the ruling to send a warning to rights defenders and portray western democratic values as subversive.

“As the Chinese saying goes, kill the chicken to frighten the monkey. [Authorities] are using Jiang’s case to tell other rights lawyers to behave themselves, or face the same consequences Jiang is facing.

I think it sends a warning,” said Jiang’s wife Jin Bianling, who has lived in the United States with her daughter since 2013 to avoid Chinese government harassment.

Jin insists her husband is innocent, arguing he has done nothing but his job, practicing law and defending the socially-disadvantaged.