BEIJING — The subversion trial of an activist who had investigated the deaths of thousands of schoolchildren in a massive earthquake opened in southwestern China, as police detained and threatened his supporters.
Tan Zuoren’s trial began Wednesday amid reports of detentions and trials of dissidents and activist lawyers in an apparent crackdown to stifle dissent ahead of the 60th anniversary of the communist state’s founding Oct. 1.
Tan’s subversion charges are believed to be linked to his quake investigation as well as essays he wrote about the 1989 student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square that ended in a deadly military crackdown.
Tan, 55, pleaded not guilty in the three-hour session at the Chengdu Intermediate Court that ended with no immediate ruling, his lawyer Pu Zhiqiang said.
