Milk powder activist sentenced
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A Beijing man who tried to draw public attention to the plight of children who became sick after they consumed tainted milk powder was sentenced to 30 months in prison by a Beijing court Wednesday for inciting social disorder.
In the verdict delivered during a closed-door hearing at the Daxin District People's Court, Zhao Lianhai, 39, whose own son was harmed by melamine-tainted milk powder, was found guilty of violating Chapter 293 of the criminal law.
"Zhao Lianhai has ignored the law, and assembled many people in public places to incite disorder, which created chaos for public security. His behavior constituted the offense of inciting disorder and should be punished," the verdict said.
Zhao was arrested on November 13, 2009. Before that, he created a website "Home for the Kidney Stone Babies" for parents to share information about the widely-publicized tainted milk scandal, which sickened 300,000 babies and killed six.
Zhao's lawyer, Li Fangping, told the Global Times that his client plans to appeal and was expected to go on a hunger strike after the verdict.
"We believe Zhao's behavior is nothing more than defending victims' legitimate rights," Li said, adding Zhao has not caused any social turbulences. "We will definitely appeal, but it doesn't look too optimistic and a not guilty verdict is not likely."
Xiang Qingyu, father of a milk powder victim who attended the court hearing, said Zhao threw his jail uniform toward the judge after hearing the verdict. Zhao's mother, wife and sister wept in the court.
The verdict cited testimonies from witnesses who said Zhao used hot social issues to create disorder. The court said Zhao organized dozens of people to protest in front of a police station on August 4, 2009 on behalf of a female rape victim, and one witness who participated in the protest said that they blocked the pavement.
On September 11, 2009, the first anniversary of the milk powder scandal, Zhao took parents for a dinner to a hotel in Beijing.
On March 4, 2009, Zhao took several people to protest with banners that said, "Demand Justice" outside a court in Shijiazhuang, Beijing, where assets once owned by Sanlu Group were being auction off.
Zhao staged a press conference in January 2009 in Daxin over the milk issue. He was taken away by security guards, and his supporters broke a door at the conference center and demanded his release.
Zhao invited foreign reporters to cover his protests and events, the verdict said. Lawyers for Zhao said in previous court sessions that Zhao had no ulterior motives.
He Bingsong, a law professor at China University of Political Science and Law, said that Zhao's was trying to obtain justice and that is not a crime.
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