Geng Xiaonan, a Beijing-based publisher who has expressed solidarity with former Tsinghua University law school professor Xu Zhangrun and others, has been formally charged with “illegal business operation” and the case will be heard in the Beijing Haidian District People’s Court on Feb. 9, according to comprehensive news.
According to a Saturday report by Radio Television Hong Kong, the Beijing Haidian District Public Security Bureau completed its investigation into the case in the middle of last month and sent it to the Haidian District Prosecutor’s Office for review and prosecution, and lawyers received a notice of prosecution from the authorities yesterday.
In recent years, Xu Zhangrun, who has written many articles criticizing the authorities, was dismissed from Tsinghua University last year, and Geng Xiaonan thought Xu Zhangrun was “incriminated for his words” and openly supported him. Police later arrested her and Qin Zhen for allegedly printing and selling illegal publications at their publishing company.
Geng Xiaonan recently dismissed Shang Baojun, a lawyer representing him in the case. According to the report, the police told Geng Xiaonan that he could be given the lightest penalty, but only if he dismissed Shang Baojun, who had represented Liu Xiaobo and Gao Yu in their cases.
A number of Geng Xiaonan’s close friends stressed that her ordeal was related to her earlier public advocacy for a number of Chinese public intellectuals and dissidents, including Xu Zhangrun. Earlier, hundreds of sympathizers at Home and abroad also launched a joint petition calling on the authorities to release Geng Xiaonan and his wife. The incident has also received international media coverage and attention.
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