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Underground church leader sentenced to jail in China

Hu Shigen had already spent 16 years in prison for political offenses
Underground church leader sentenced to jail in China
Published: August 03, 2016 10:43 AM GMT

A prominent underground church leader has been sentenced to over seven years jail in China for "subverting state power."

State media cited prosecutors saying Hu Shigen's "ideology and his behaviors have seriously harmed the country and social stability."

Hu, 60, a former literature professor and writer, is the latest jailed during a week of activist trials and televised public confessions, reports The Guardian.

Observers claim such court sentences against rights activists have almost zero credibility.

The same is said of televised confessions made by activists and others deemed opponents of the communist state.

Hu has already spent 16 years in prison for other political offences, including distributing leaflets about 1989's Tiananmen Square massacre.

Hu's advocates say his principal offense was that he led underground Christian churches, unauthorized by the ruling Communist Party, and for advocating greater freedom of speech and religion.

He is also being denied political rights for five years.

According to Chinese Human Rights Defenders Hu has been an underground church leader of the Sheng Ai Fellowship and the Yahebo Covenant Church.

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