The criminal case against Bijie Daily reporter Li Yuanlong was held in Bijie Intermediate Court on May 11. Li Yuanlong is charged with “instigating to overthrow the national political regime” for a series of articles he had written. His family and coworkers, as well as four other dissidents Chen Xi, Zhao Xin, Liao Shangyuan and Wu Yuqin, were allowed to observe the proceedings.
A group of more than ten dissidents led by Zhao Xin went to Bijie City to support Li Yuanlong. It was after a full day of protest that they were given four passes to witness the trial.
Attorney Li Jianqiang had met with Li Yuanlong to discuss his case earlier. Li Yuanlong admitted that he had written the four articles over which he stands accused. However, he explained that he did not know that he was breaking any law by writing them. Neither did he have any thoughts of overthrowing the communist regime. He hopes the attorney will defend him well and that the judge presiding on his case is a just one.
His attorney pointed out that Li Yuanlong had committed no crime because he had no intentions and had taken no actions to overthrow the regime. The attorney also stressed that the regime had not really been harmed in any way by the articles.
Li Yuanlong was officially charged on February 9 with the crime of “instigating to overthrow the national political regime.” His case was postponed for the third time in April.
