US calls for immediate release of prominent rights activists held in China
- Jail sentences demonstrate China’s ‘continued efforts to intimidate and silence civil society’, US State Department says
The sentences demonstrate China’s “continued efforts to intimidate and silence civil society”, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Supporters said Huang has been sentenced to five years in prison on charges of incitement to subvert state authority, almost three years after she Wang were detained.
The verdict provided to Associated Press stated that Huang would also face a fine of 100,000 yuan (US$14,000), underscoring the ruling Communist Party’s intolerance of any activism outside its control in a system whose upper echelons are dominated by men.
China’s #MeToo movement flourished briefly before being snuffed out by the government. China often silences activists by holding them incommunicado for a long time and then sentencing them to prison.
Huang’s release date was listed as September 18, 2026, accounting for her earlier detention. Co-defendant Wang was sentenced to three years and six months on the same charge. Wang is more known for his labour rights activity but also helped women report sexual harassment.
