China convicted MeToo activist to a five-year prison term.
During the 2018 MeToo discussions in China, Sophia Huang convinced the government to fire a professor at her university. She's since been devoted to bringing awareness to sexual assault. According to a supporter's group, the Chinese government sentenced MeToo advocate Sophia Huang to five years and Wang Jianbing, a disability rights activist, to three years and six months. The trial was held in secret at the Guangzhou court, which initially couldn't be reached for queries. Huang intends to appeal, as per her supporters.
Huang, whose original name is Huang Xueqin, is a prominent MeToo activist. She encouraged Chinese women to speak out in 2018 when sexual assault by men was everyone's topic. At Beijing University, she exposed sexual misconduct by a professor, resulting in his dismissal by the Chinese government.
Following this, the Chinese government started to obstruct open MeToo discussions on the internet and threatened activists with penalties if they shared their stories, the "New York Times" remarked. Huang was taken into custody in 2019 because of her continued activism and spent three months in jail. The authorities then accused her of "stirring up trouble and instigating quarrels."
China clamps down on MeToo conversations
Huang, whose Chinese name is Huang Xueqin, is a well-known MeToo advocate. In 2018, she attempted to persuade Chinese women to speak out regarding sexual assault incidents. At her university in Beijing, she uncovered a professor's sexual assault and persuaded the Chinese government to remove him.
However, the Chinese government quickly obstructed all open MeToo conversations on the internet and warned activists against sharing their experiences. Huang was arrested in 2019 for continuing to promote MeToo movements and kept in custody for three months. The authorities at that time accused her of "inciting disputes and stirring up trouble."
Rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have pleaded for the unconditional release of the two activists and are worried about their prison conditions since the trial started. According to lawyers, Huang's health has considerably worsened since her arrest.
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Despite Huang's significant contributions to advocating for Women's rights and Human rights in China, her activism led to her conviction and a five-year prison term. This sentence is a significant setback for the ongoing processes aimed at promoting gender equality and upholding Human rights in China.
Moreover, Huang's case highlights the challenges faced by human rights activists in China, where advocating for certain issues can result in harsh penalities, undermining the basic principles of Human rights.
