The United States on Monday condemned the “unjust” sentencing of two activists in China, according to State Department officials.
“We urge the PRC (People’s Republic of China) to immediately release Huang and Wang, as well as other individuals unjustly detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms,” said a prepared statement by spokesperson Matthew Miller.
“We continue to call on the PRC to live up to its international commitments and to respect the human rights of all persons, including freedom of expression and fair trial guarantees.”
The statement follows a Guangzhou court’s decision to sentence independent journalist Huang Xueqin and labor rights activist Wang Jianbing for “inciting subversion of state power.” Huang is facing up to five years in jail, while Wang could face up to three years and six months. The verdict comes almost 1,000 days after the two were imprisoned.
Huang created a social media platform for victims to report sexual harassment during the peak of China’s #MeToo movement. She shared surveys that stated that sexual harassment was a concern at universities and workplaces.
She was also arrested in 2019 for joining the protest in Hong Kong.
Wang has been an advocate for workers’ rights and for those with disabilities since 2014.
According to the online support group Free Huang Xueqin & Wang Jianbing, Haung plans to appeal the sentence.
