Washington: In a sharp condemnation over the sentencing of blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng`s nephew, the US has said it is deeply disturbed by the conviction, terming it the result of a "deeply flawed legal process."
"We are deeply disturbed about reports that Chen Kegui, the nephew of human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, was tried and convicted today in a legal proceeding in China that lacked basic due process guarantees," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters here.
"He was convicted in a summary trial in which he was not fully represented by legal counsel of his choosing. He didn`t have an opportunity to present his own defense. So this was a deeply flawed legal process that convicted him and sentenced him to three years in prison," she said.
Nephew of blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng, Chen Kegui was sentenced yesterday to 39 months in prison for injuring government officials who stormed into his home while searching for his uncle, who had fled house arrest.
"His parents have also been repeatedly denied the opportunity to visit their son, and there are credible reports that his own court- appointed lawyer refused to provide his family with any information about the case, and that they were given very little advanced notice of the trial," Nuland said.
"Several Chinese attorneys who attempted to provide him with pro bono services were warned by the Chinese authorities that their law licenses could be suspended if they represented him," the State Department official said.
"So all of these things represent very serious concerns with respect to the rule of law and China`s compliance with its commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. So we regret China`s failure to honor its international commitments, and we call on them to review this case," she said.
PTI
