Beijing-based independent publisher Geng Xiaonan was sentenced Monday to three years in prison for “illegal business operation” after he was suppressed for his efforts to rescue Xu Zhangrun, a professor at Tsinghua University who had been restricted by authorities. At the trial, Geng Xiaonan pleaded guilty in court and excused her husband and colleagues. (Geng Xiao’s boyfriend)
Beijing-based publisher Geng Xiaonan, who was charged with “illegal business operation” for allegedly speaking out for Tsinghua University professor Xu Zhangrun, pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to three years in prison on Tuesday (9), while her husband and colleagues were given suspended sentences. Lawyers said Geng Xiaonan took all the charges in exchange for her husband and colleagues to regain their freedom as soon as possible. Xu Zhangrun, who was prevented from going to the court to show his solidarity, wrote another article denouncing the evil government and the evil law for harming the world.
The case of Geng Xiaonan, a Beijing-based publisher, and her husband, Qin Zhen, and nine others, who were charged with “illegal business operation,” began at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Haidian District Court in Beijing. Commentators say the authorities chose to hold the trial on the 28th day of the New Year as a continuation of the “holiday trial” tactic for political cases.
Geng Xiaonan “pleaded guilty” in court and accepted all the charges and evidence presented by the prosecution. She said that although she is not the legal person of the company, but is the actual controller and decision maker, and colleagues involved in the case, including her husband, were under her instructions to complete their duties, she hopes that the court will focus on her as the focus of punishment.
The court sentenced Geng Xiaonan to three years in prison and her husband Qin Zhen to two years and six months and a suspended sentence, as recommended by the prosecution. Qin Zhen is expected to be released soon.
Geng Xiaonan’s defense lawyer Qu Zhenhong’s phone was switched off several times; Geng Xiaonan’s former lawyer, Shang Baojun, who was dismissed under pressure earlier, told the station that this was not a surprising result, although the lawyer had tried his best to put forward reasons to refute the charges. But Geng Xiaonan is clear that this is a politically manipulated case, and she can only choose to plead guilty herself in exchange for a lighter sentence for her husband and colleagues from the authorities.
Shang Baojun also said that the prosecution’s precise sentencing recommendation is the result of the established court decision, and believes that Geng Xiaonan will not appeal again.
Shang Baojun said: This is the intended result, Xiaonan’s intention is to save her husband out, she had no choice, faced with this kind of pressure she had to give in, taking all the responsibility, she also had to plead guilty, had to make such a statement, not to let the court adopt the views of lawyers. You are also unlikely to be acquitted, someone will have to suffer this. This precise sentencing recommendations, if the appeal, the prosecutor’s office may appeal, so her case should not be appealed, Xiaonan the next two years to serve the sentence will be very difficult.
Geng Xiaonan was charged with “unlawful business operation,” alleging that she effectively controlled Beijing Ruiya Culture Company, which was involved in the illegal printing of 200,000 copies of the publication. The charges allege that Geng Xiaonan, her husband Qin Zhen and four other people were in charge of the company and that the four were criminally responsible.
Geng Xiaonan pleaded with the presiding judge that she was a first-Time offender and had no subjective criminal intent, and that there were no specific victims in the case for the time being; in addition, she needed to take care of her 80-year-old disabled veteran father, who had been in the Vietnam War, and hoped that the court would take a humane stance and impose a lighter punishment.
Geng Xiao’s boyfriend, Beijing-based artist Ji Feng, said the “illegal business crime” is a “crime” tailor-made by the authorities for entrepreneurs or economists who dare to speak out.
If you are in the business sector, if you are not happy with the authorities, if you are not happy with them, if you are even rebellious, then I am sorry, you are either “The purpose is to make an example of you.
During the trial, the security inside and outside the court is very strict, more than 10 police cars are present and guarded, there are many public security and security guards, outside the media reporters are not allowed to enter the audience. The court rarely live-streams the trial, but the video was deleted shortly after the live-stream.
A number of Geng Xiaonan’s friends, including Xu Zhangrun, Beijing artist Yan Zhengxue and Ji Feng, were prevented by state security from coming to the court in solidarity. Guo Yuhua, a professor at Tsinghua University who was able to arrive at the court to apply for an audience, was also barred from entering by court staff.
Before the trial, he sent a long article entitled “Letter to the Tyranny – to the officials and officials” through a friend, denouncing the authorities for their evil policies and laws that harm the world. He advised law enforcement officials to abide by the principles of the law and not to help the tigers, so that justice can be done to the people. He also said that he would stand side by side with his colleagues who had stood up for justice but were tragically subjected to blackmail, and that being deprived of freedom is also an inevitable hardship to be borne in the pursuit of freedom.
The station called the judge of Beijing Haidian Court, Geng Xiaonan case of the presiding judge Qin Bo’s office phone in vain.
In July of last year, Geng Xiaonan was arrested by the police and charged with “prostitution” for his repeated criticism of Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party system, and in September, Geng Xiaonan, Qin Zhen and his colleagues were detained by the police; a month later, the authorities arrested Geng Xiaonan on suspicion of “illegal business operation. Geng Xiaonan was formally arrested a month later on suspicion of “illegal business operation,” which was seen by public opinion as “political retaliation” for rescuing Xu Zhangrun.
Geng Xiaonan, 46, a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama’s directing department and founder of Beijing-based Ruiya Culture, has issued a series of calls for attention to detained prisoners of conscience, including Chen Qiushi, a lawyer who disappeared after investigating the truth about the New Crown Epidemic; Xu Zhiyong, a scholar who was arrested for calling for Xi Jinping’s ouster; Ding Jiaxi, a lawyer; and Wang Yi, a Chengdu-based pastor.
Last December, Geng Xiaonan was awarded the Independent Chinese PEN “Lin Zhao Memorial Award.
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