January 17, 2019
Beijing says award for Chinese lawyer is politically motivated.
Beijing on Wednesday slammed the French and German ambassadors to China after they granted a human rights award to a detained Chinese lawyer, saying their wrongdoing gravely violated China’s internal affairs.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that China has lodged stern representations and expressed strong dissatisfaction, as well as firm opposition, to the ambassadors’ action.
The relevant case is purely judicial, which has nothing to do with human rights, the ministry said.
The wrongdoings of Germany and France gravely interfered with China’s internal affairs and judicial sovereignty, the ministry said.
China urges the ambassadors of relevant countries to do more to develop bilateral relations and enhance political mutual trust, not the opposite, it added.
The lawyer, Yu Wensheng, was detained in January last year and charged with inciting subversion of State power. Yu’s wife received the award at an event organized by the German embassy in Beijing on Monday,