We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of Cookies, Privacy Policy Term of use.
Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 0:00
 
1x
23 views • June 5, 2020
video privacyPrivate

Chinese Journalist Jailed for 15 Years for ‘Vilifying the Communist Party and Government’

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Times
A mainland Chinese journalist and freelance columnist Chen Jieren, suspected of alleging that Hunan province's Shaoyang city party secretary Deng Guangyan was involved in a major corruption cover-up, was convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble, extortion, illegal business operations and bribery.” He has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. His younger brother Chen Weiren was also sentenced. A mainland Chinese journalist and freelance columnist Chen Jieren, suspected of alleging that Hunan province's Shaoyang city party secretary Deng Guangyan was involved in a major corruption cover-up, was convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble, extortion, illegal business operations and bribery.” He has been sentenced to 15 years in jail. His younger brother Chen Weiren was also sentenced. Guiyang county court in Hunan province announced on April 30 that it convicted Mr. Chen of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles, extortion, illegal business operations, and bribery” and fined him 7 million yuan ($990,000). His brother was sentenced to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” and “extortion and blackmail” charges, and was fined 10,000 RMB ($1,400). An associate, Liu Min, was exempted from criminal penalties after being convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” Guiyang county court in Hunan province announced on April 30 that it convicted Mr. Chen of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles, extortion, illegal business operations, and bribery” and fined him 7 million yuan ($990,000). His brother was sentenced to four years in prison for “picking quarrels and provoking troubles” and “extortion and blackmail” charges, and was fined 10,000 RMB ($1,400). An associate, Liu Min, was exempted from criminal penalties after being convicted of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles.” The court claimed that since 2015, Chen Jieren has used the alias "Internet Big V" to publish false or negative information online, to maliciously exaggerate certain mass incidents, to attack and defame the CCP, the judicial organ, and its staff, to instigate troubles, and to extort public and private property. A Hunan netizen said that the official media reported that Chen Jieren had hundreds of millions of dollars in assets. The court did not confiscate all of his property. He did not appeal either, which means he was probably forced to compromise and plead guilty. Mr. Xie, a Hunan netizen, said: "Some of his posts are very sharp, but after a while, they are gone. He has exposed too many things. He attacked the secretary of the CCP. Even his brother was implicated, as well as his ex-wife. During the investigation process, he and his family were all in silence. He didn’t even appeal. I think he compromised. ” It’s reported by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders that Chen Jieren graduated from Tsinghua University Law School and had worked for several state media outlets, including Southern Weekend, China Youth Daily, Beijing Daily, and People’s Daily, and published over 2,000 commentary articles. Chen was fired from China Youth Daily in 2003 for uncovering a prostitution ring involving students at Wuhan University, causing a scandal; he was demoted as editor-in-chief of China Philanthropy Times for criticising a government portal in 2006; and in 2011, he was sacked from his position in at People’s Daily Online’s Jiangsu Window for “too much criticism of the government.”
Show All