A court in the central Chinese province of Jiangxi has sentenced three democracy activists from the New Citizens’ Movement to two 6 ½ year prison terms and one 3 ½ year prison term. The charges come as the Chinese government continues to intensify its crackdown on democracy activists following the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 5th, 1989.

The three members of the new citizen’s movement were sentenced to two 6 ½ year sentences and one 3 ½ year prison sentence for what government officials have officially charged them with “ creating a disturbance”, after unraveling a banner in a lobby last year demanding that members of the communist government disclose information about their personal wealth in an effort to become more transparent. Liu Ping and Wei Zhongping were each sentenced to 6 ½ year prison terms and a third activist, Liu Sihua was convicted to 3 ½ years in prison.

“It just isn’t fair” Si Weijang, who is Liu Ping’s lawyer said to the Reuters news agency, he went onto say “The laws can just be bent however (the government) want’s in politicized cases”.

Behind the Crackdown in China

“Having a small private gathering holding a banner in a lobby entrance demanding financial transparency from officials should not in any way constitute picking quarrels and illegal assembly”, William Nee said, who is a China researcher for Amnesty International.

According to the BBC website, the New Citizens’ Movement is organization that:

1) Is a loose network of activist
2) Campaign’s for more civil and political rights in China and educational rights for children.
3) Has urged officials to declare their assets to combat corruption.
4) Members have organized meal time gatherings to discuss social and legal issues.

The unraveling of the banner was seen as an effort by the New Citizens’ Movement to put pressure on the government to combat graft (corruption) something that new President XI Jingping himself promised once he took office.

However, even with that promise, the crackdown on pro-democracy has continued in a proactive fashion following the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in the infamous incident where the Chinese government massacred thousands of innocent protesters who were protesting for greater democratic values and freedoms.