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A prominent female Chinese #MeToo activist has been sentenced to five years in prison for “subversion of state power.”
Sophia Huang Xueqing was convicted and sentenced on Friday, nearly 10 months after her trial.
Wang Jianbing, a labor activist who was tried alongside Huang, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.
Huang, 36, is one of the most prominent voices in China’s #MeToo movement and has reported groundbreaking stories of sexual abuse victims.
She also spoke out about the misogyny and sexism she faced in Chinese media.
Chinese authorities have not said how the men were accused of subversion, and their trial was held in secret.
However, their supporters claim that the young people were detained because they hosted regular meetings and forums to discuss social issues.
Huang was on his way to accept a British government-sponsored master’s scholarship at the University of Sussex when he was detained at an airport in Guangzhou in 2021.
Mr Wang, 40, was also with her at the time.
In 2021, amid coronavirus lockdowns and growing public anger, Chinese authorities launched a crackdown on several activists working in a range of fields.
“Their hard work and dedication to labour, women’s rights and wider civil society will not be negated by this unjust trial, and society will not forget their contributions,” said the group campaigning to free Huang Xueqin and Wang Jianbing.
“On the contrary, as repression continues and injustice grows, activists like them will continue to grow.”
Amnesty International said on Friday that the convictions were “malicious and completely unfounded.”
“[They] “This shows how afraid the Chinese government is of the rising voice of activists who speak out to protect the rights of others,” said Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China director.
“The #MeToo movement has empowered victims of sexual violence around the world, but in this case, Chinese authorities are trying to do the exact opposite by eradicating it.”
It is unclear whether the time they have already served will be credited towards reducing their sentences.
Public reaction to Huang’s trial has been mixed so far, with some online critics condemning the case and others welcoming it, including those critical of the feminist movement.
Many gender rights and social activists in China choose to remain anonymous online.
They have often been accused by state media and nationalists online of being “agents of hostile Western powers”.
