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.

  • Share
  • Read Later

Yu Jie

By Feb. 10, 2012
Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty Images

Chinese dissident author Yu Jie arrives at a press conference in Washington, DC, on Jan. 18, 2012

Occupation: Author
Status: In exile

This 38-year-old writer fled China last month. Before seeking exile in the United States, Yu  spent several months under house arrest for writing a still-incomplete biography of his imprisoned friend Liu Xiaobo. The author said at a press conference in Washington D.C. that he had been verbally abused, beaten, tortured and kept under constant government surveillance. An outspoken critic of the government, Yu is best known for his book, “China’s Greatest Actor: Wen Jiabao,” a withering profile of China’s Premier.

—by Niharika Mandhana

Next Ai Weiwei

Full List