Yuan Xianchen
Yuan Xianchen is a mainland Chinese lawyer and human rights activist from Heilongjiang province. On March 4, 2009, he was found guilty of "inciting subversion of state power" and sentenced to four years imprisonment and five years' deprivation of political rights. The verdict is currently being appealed, since Yuan claims evidence used against him in court was extracted by means of torture.
Background
Yuan, 44, self-studied law and is best known for his work as a legal advisor to workers at the Didao Mine in Jixi City. The miners have been seeking compensation from the local government and the mine management since the former state-owned business was re-structured and became a private enterprise.Yuan's legal aid work in Jixi City since 1998 on behalf of farmers, miners, displaced persons, and other impoverished or exploited citizens earned him the ire of local government officials.
Detention
Yuan was taken into police custody in Jixi, Heilongjiang on May 24, 2008. Yuan was formally detained on May 29 and arrested on suspicion of "subversion of state power" on June 30. His wife, Zhang, was detained at the same time on charges of "disturbing social order," and was later released on bail on July 2, 2008. Yuan was formally arrested on June 30, 2008, and remained in police custody until his trial.Trial and Imprisonment
Yuan was tried by the Jixi City Intermediate People's Court on January 12, 2009. On March 4 was found guilty of "inciting subversion of state power", and sentenced to four years in prison and five years’ deprivation of political rights. The verdict is being appealed. The charge against Yuan hinged on four main accusations: first, that he distributed an article entitled "Save China, Implement Constitutional Democracy" to petitioners and representatives attending the National People's Congress in Beijing in 2005; second, that he gave interviews to the Epoch Times and other foreign media; third, that he received funds from domestic and overseas organizations; and finally, that he drafted over twenty articles "attacking" socialism. These actions provided the “evidence” necessary for authorities to punish Yuan.Although it was not formally mentioned at the trial, it is believed that Yuan was also arrested in part for helping Yang Chunlin, a Heilongjiang farmers' representative, collect signatures endorsing an open letter entitled "We Want Human Rights, Not the Olympics". Yang was sentenced to five years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power" on March 24, 2008.