China

Poets, Peaceniks and Protesters: Meet China’s Leading Dissidents

As Xi Jinping, the man widely touted to be China's next President, embarks on a trip to the U.S., Beijing's desire for political stability remains paramount. The past year has seen numerous crackdowns on dissent and arrests of Chinese activists. Last week, Zhu Yufu, a poet, was sentenced to seven years for "inciting subversion to state power." Meet Zhu and some of the other artists, activists and lawyers caught up in China's latest crackdown.

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Chen Guangcheng

By Feb. 10, 2012
AFP / Getty Images

Activist Chen Guangcheng, with his wife and son in Dongshigu village, in northeastern China's Shandong province, on March 28, 2005

Occupation: Lawyer
Status: Under house arrest

Blind since childhood and illiterate until he was 20, Chen Guangcheng earned the nickname “the barefoot lawyer” after teaching himself to be a human-rights attorney. The 40-year-old gained national and international attention for challenging the legality of forced abortions carried out under China’s one-child policy. After the case, Chen was sentenced to four years in prison on charges of “damaging property and organizing a mob to disturb traffic.” Chen and his family are kept under house arrest in the village of Dongshigu. Many high-profile visitors, including actor Christian Bale, have tried to reach Chen.  They’ve all been turned away.

—by Kate Springer

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