A prominent figure in China's MeToo movement, journalist Sophia Huang Xueqin, has faced trial for subversion alongside labor campaigner Wang Jianbing, as reported by activists. The trial took place in Guangzhou, where the two were detained in 2021 amid China's extensive crackdown on activists. Concerns have been raised by rights groups regarding their well-being during detention.
Sophia Huang, aged 35, reportedly endured sleep deprivation and malnourishment while detained, her friend's account on Radio Free Asia informs. The trial was conducted under tight security, with authorities cordoning off the courthouse, as confirmed by a spokesperson from a group advocating for their release.
Sophia Huang, a freelance journalist, played a significant role in China's MeToo movement, notably sparking its first case in 2018 by assisting a graduate student in making public accusations against her PhD supervisor. She also wrote about her experiences with workplace sexual harassment during her tenure at a Chinese news agency.
In China, many advocates for gender rights and social causes choose to remain anonymous and face accusations of being "agents of hostile Western forces" by state media and online nationalists.
Wang Jianbing, known for supporting gender rights and defending labor rights while assisting workers with disabilities in obtaining legal aid, was detained alongside Huang in Guangzhou in September 2021. At that time, Huang was en route to the UK to pursue a master's degree in gender violence and conflict at the University of Sussex.
An investigation by BBC Eye in 2022 revealed that both activists were held in solitary confinement in secretive locations known as 'black jails.' Public sentiments on Chinese social media have been divided, with some calling for their release after two years, while others hope for a severe sentence.
Amnesty International's deputy regional director for Asia, Sarah Brooks, characterized Huang and Wang as part of a "courageous wave" of younger Chinese activists who have been "targeted" by a government fearful of organized dissent. She added that these charges were baseless and driven by the Chinese authorities' relentless determination to suppress critical voices, but activists in China continue to speak out despite the serious risks associated with addressing "sensitive" issues.
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