Taiwan-based publisher Li Yanhe (李延賀) has been sentenced to three years in prison, fined 50,000 yuan (US$6,890) in personal assets and deprived political rights for one year for “inciting secession” in China, China's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman Chen Binhua (陳斌華) said today.
The Shanghai First Intermediate People’s Court announced the verdict on Feb. 17, Chen said.
The trial was conducted lawfully, and in an open and fair manner, he said, adding that the verdict has since come into legal effect.
Photo: Screen grab from Facebook
The defendant reportedly admitted guilt and would appeal within the statutory appeal period, he said, adding that the defendant and his family have been clearly informed about the sentence.
During the execution of the sentence, the relevant authorities are to ensure that the rights of the defendant and his family are protected in accordance with the law, Chen said.
He said that as a spokesman, he is unwilling to disclose further details.
Chen also accused the Democratic Progressive Party of repeatedly bringing up this judicial case in an attempt to slander and discredit China’s judicial system.
Li, also known by the pen name Fucha (富察), worked as editor-in-chief of Taiwan-based Gusa Press (八旗文化).
Li was born in China’s Liaoning Province and obtained Taiwanese citizenship after living in Taiwan for many years.
He returned to Shanghai in March 2023 to cancel his household registration, but was arrested by police, most likely because Gusa Press has published books that are critical of China’s autocratic regime.
In April 2023, Beijing confirmed that Li had been detained “on suspicion of engaging in activities endangering national security.”
Since then, China has never publicly announced the progress of Li’s trial, apart from announcing on Tuesday last week that he had been convicted in a “public sentencing.”
Taiwan is stepping up plans to create self-sufficient supply chains for combat drones and increase foreign orders from the US to counter China’s numerical superiority, a defense official said on Saturday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, the official said the nation’s armed forces are in agreement with US Admiral Samuel Paparo’s assessment that Taiwan’s military must be prepared to turn the nation’s waters into a “hellscape” for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Paparo, the commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, reiterated the concept during a Congressional hearing in Washington on Wednesday. He first coined the term in a security conference last
Prosecutors today declined to say who was questioned regarding alleged forgery on petitions to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators, after Chinese-language media earlier reported that members of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Youth League were brought in for questioning. The Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau confirmed that two people had been questioned, but did not disclose any further information about the ongoing investigation. KMT Youth League members Lee Hsiao-liang (李孝亮) and Liu Szu-yin (劉思吟) — who are leading the effort to recall DPP caucus chief executive Rosalia Wu (吳思瑤) and Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) — both posted on Facebook saying: “I
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS