China Jails Anti-Corruption Activists As Part Of A Continuing Campaign To Stifle Criticism

On June 19th BBC News reported that the Chinese government has jailed three anti-corruption activists. Wei Zhongping and Liu Ping who are associated with the Chinese New Citizens Movement, were both given six-and-a-half year jail sentences while the third activist, Li Sihua received a shorter sentence. According to the article, police detained the three activists after they took photographs with banners urging officials to disclose their assets.

Trial of Anti-Corruption Activists Prematurely Adjourned

Six lawyers defending the first participants in the New Citizens Movement put on trial this year for 'inciting subversion of the state' were prevented from finishing their arguments at trial on Tuesday. The New Citizens Movement is a loose collection of activists who have urged government officials to publicly disclose their assets.

Xi Jinping's Anti-Corruption Drive Underwhelms

Despite President Xi Jinping’s stern rhetoric on the seriousness of his anti-corruption campaign, recently released official data shows that the Communist Party did not significantly increase the number of corruption investigations in 2013. Rather, corruption investigations are only up 4% over last year and 6% since 2011.

China Formally Arrests Graft-Busting Journalist in Crackdown

Authorities have formally arrested Liu Hu, a journalist known for exposing government corruption. Liu’s arrest coincides with President Xi Jinping’s nationwide campaign to crackdown on official corruption while simultaneously jailing citizens who attempt to reveal official graft. According to China human rights expert and former LRF contributing writer Yu Jie, “From this incident one can conclude that the current 'anti-corruption campaign' is just party of strife inside the Party, and that eliminating corruption in China is impossible.”