Beijing - Beijing authorities have postponed a trial for
well-known housing rights activist Ni Yulan, likely due to fears of
bad publicity during the Olympic Games period, Ni's husband told
Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Wednesday.
Ni had been scheduled to be put on trial on August 4, four days
before the August 8-24 international sporting event begins, but
Beijing's Xicheng Court informed Ni's lawyer Tuesday that the trial
will be postponed, with no new date scheduled, Ni's husband Dong
Jiqin said.
After Beijing authorities announced the original trial date this
week, foreign media reported about it.
'It could be because they're afraid holding the trial before the
Olympics could create a negative impact,' Dong said.
'They're afraid many overseas reporters will be there and their
plot will be exposed. They're afraid of embarrassment,' he said.
Ni, 48, was arrested on April 15 when she tried to stop dozens of
workers from knocking down a wall of her home, which she had refused
to vacate for city redevelopment, despite threats and pressure from
the authorities.
Police alleged the former lawyer beat a member of the demolition
crew, but Dong denies this, asking how Ni could have hit anyone when
she is disabled and walks with crutches. Dong said one of the nearly
two dozen men sent to tear down the wall pretended he was injured and
lay on the ground before police arrived. Ni was formally arrested on
suspicion of 'obstructing official business' on April 29.
Dong said his wife could be sentenced to a prison term of two to
three years if convicted.
Dozens of other rights activists and dissidents have been
detained, sentenced to prison or kept under house arrest or
surveillance in the last few months as the government intensified its
efforts to minimize the chance of embarrassing protests or interviews
with foreign media during the games.
Ni's family is among many who were ordered to move after Beijing
won the bid to host the Olympics in 2001 to make way for construction
of new commercial buildings and luxury apartments.
The new construction had nothing to do with Olympic venues, but
were seen by local officials as a way to beautify the city and
increase revenues.
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