August 7th, 2009
Guo Quan, the founder of the China New Democracy Party will plead not guilty when he stands trial today for subversion against the state according to his lawyer. The trial comes amid reports of numerous detentions and trials of dissidents, alongside an apparent crackdown on activist lawyers possibly to stifle dissent ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Communist state’s founding in October. Read more
here
July 22nd, 2009
Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer and his team have been denied access to her, two days before her trial on charges of breaking the terms of her house arrest is due to resume. Her legal team is expected to present closing arguments in the case on 24 July, with a verdict expected shortly afterwards. If convicted, she faces up to five years in jail. Read more
here
June 4th, 2009
Euna Lee and Laura Ling, the two US journalists arrested in North Korea earlier in March this year, are reported to have gone on trial in North Korea for charges of committing “hostile acts”. The US has dismissed the charges as “baseless”. Read more
here
May 18th, 2009
Burma’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has gone on trial at the notorious Insein prison in Rangoon following breaking the conditions of her nineteen year house arrest. Many observers see the charges as a pretext to ensure Ms Suu Kyi is in jail during next year’s elections. Read more
here
