Date set for trial of Chinese human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng

The trial of human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who was arrested in the country's Shangdong province after trying to expose alleged human rights abuses associated with the enforcement of the country's one-child-per-family policy, is scheduled to begin on Friday in county court in Yinan, China, according to Chen's attorney Li Jinsong, the Associated Press reports (Associated Press, 8/14).

Chen recorded testimony from men and women in communities in and around China's Linyi province who have experienced forced abortions and sterilizations, as well as had family members captured and tortured after they tried to hide or run from authorities.

He was attempting to bring a class-action lawsuit against the Chinese government for alleged human rights abuses associated with the enforcement. Chen in September 2005 was placed under house arrest for speaking with journalists, government officials and other advocates about the one-child policy.

Chinese police formally arrested Chen in June for his attempts to challenge the policy (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/10). Chen is scheduled to face charges of "willfully harming public property" and "gathering masses to disturb traffic order" (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 7/31).

Chen, who if convicted could receive up to five years in jail, will plead not guilty, according to Li. "It will probably be an open trial, as it doesn't involve any state secrets," he said, adding that the outcome of the trial "all depends on how they view the evidence." Li also said that Chen's relatives had not been told whether they could attend the trial (Agence France-Presse, 8/15).