International human rights monitors have condemned the 39-month prison sentence for Chen Kegui, the nephew of Chinese human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng. Chen Kegui was convicted on charges of assault after government officials stormed into his home in April 2012, searching for his uncle, who had fled from house arrest and later left China to study law in the United States. Chen Kegui’s parents said their son was acting to defend himself and his family from an attack by unidentified intruders.
Amnesty International called the punishment handed down by a Shangdong court in eastern China “appalling,” noting that “Chen Kegui was tried by the same court that in 2006 had sentenced his uncle Chen Guangcheng to prison on trumped up charges.” Human Rights Watch said Chen Kegui's trial “failed to meet minimum standards of fair trial under domestic or international standards.”
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the United States is “deeply disturbed” that Chen Kegui “was tried. . .in a legal proceeding that lacked basic due process guarantees.”
Reports indicate that Chen Kegui’s parents were given very little advance notice of the trial, and that they have been repeatedly denied the opportunity to visit their son. Several Chinese attorneys reportedly were warned by Chinese authorities that their law licenses could be suspended if they represented him.
“We regret China’s failure to honor its international commitments,” said Ms. Nuland, “and we call on them to review this case.”
Amnesty International called the punishment handed down by a Shangdong court in eastern China “appalling,” noting that “Chen Kegui was tried by the same court that in 2006 had sentenced his uncle Chen Guangcheng to prison on trumped up charges.” Human Rights Watch said Chen Kegui's trial “failed to meet minimum standards of fair trial under domestic or international standards.”
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said the United States is “deeply disturbed” that Chen Kegui “was tried. . .in a legal proceeding that lacked basic due process guarantees.”
Reports indicate that Chen Kegui’s parents were given very little advance notice of the trial, and that they have been repeatedly denied the opportunity to visit their son. Several Chinese attorneys reportedly were warned by Chinese authorities that their law licenses could be suspended if they represented him.
“We regret China’s failure to honor its international commitments,” said Ms. Nuland, “and we call on them to review this case.”
