By DIDI TANG
Nov. 28, 2014 8:31 AM EST
BEIJING (AP) — A leading rights activist who organized rallies for media freedom pleaded not guilty to charges of disturbing public order in a Chinese court where he went on trial Friday more than 15 months after being detained.
The case against Yang Maodong, 48, comes amid a broadening crackdown on dissent by Beijing, which is increasingly intolerant of any form of activism. In January, a Beijing court sentenced legal activist Xu Zhiyong to four years in prison for leading a loosely organized civil movement. Several of his followers also were imprisoned.
New York-based Human Rights Watch called on authorities to drop the charges against Yang, better known by his penname Guo Feixiong, and fellow defendant Sun Desheng, who was implicated for his activism of urging the Chinese government to grant more rights to its people and to disclose officials’ assets.
“Beijing’s assault on civil society seems to know no bounds as peaceful activists are increasingly subject to criminal prosecutions,” said Sophie Richardson, the group’s China director, in a statement.