In an attempt to silence one of China's most prominent human rights lawyers, a court has secretly sentenced Yu Wensheng for four years, his wife claimed.

The lawyers' wife said that she received a call from the prosecutor’s office in Xuzhou city in the eastern province of Jiangsu, informing her that the sentencing was announced behind closed doors early on Wednesday, reported The Guardian.&nbsp;

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The city court also deprived Yu of his political rights, which means he is barred from holding any public position or publishing and speaking publicly for three years.

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Yu is known as one of the most outspoken critics of the Chinese administration and has constantly highlighted politically sensitive issues despite the country's measures to stifle dissent.&nbsp;

A day after Yu, in an online post demanded the removal of Chinese President Xi Jinping and called for reforms in the country's legal and political system, he was detained by the police in January 2018 in Beijing and was later charged with inciting subversion of state power.

Yu was put into trial in 2019 secretly and his family has no knowledge about it.&nbsp;

During his detention of more than two years, the activist was not allowed to meet his lawyer or family and there were major concerns of torture during custody.&nbsp;

The UN working group also demanded in April last year that he should be released.

"He can’t accept this outcome. He would appeal," his wife said, demanding his unconditional release.

Yu, three months before his detention too, said that under Xi's rule, China has marched "backwards" and demanded his resignation. &nbsp;

In an attempt to silence one of China's most prominent human rights lawyers, a court has secretly sentenced Yu Wensheng for four years, his wife claimed. The lawyers' wife said that she received a call from the prosecutor’s office in Xuzhou city in the eastern province of Jiangsu, informing her that the sentencing was announced behind closed doors early on Wednesday, reported The Guardian.

In an attempt to silence one of China's most prominent human rights lawyers, a court has secretly sentenced Yu Wensheng for four years, his wife claimed. The lawyers' wife said that she received a call from the prosecutor’s office in Xuzhou city in the eastern province of Jiangsu, informing her that the sentencing was announced behind closed doors early on Wednesday, reported The Guardian. Also read | China charges two detained Canadians with suspected espionage The city court also deprived Yu of his political rights, which means he is barred from holding any public position or publishing and speaking publicly for three years. Also read | Australia sees China as main suspect in state-based cyberattacks, says report Yu is known as one of the most outspoken critics of the Chinese administration and has constantly highlighted politically sensitive issues despite the country's measures to stifle dissent. A day after Yu, in an online post demanded the removal of Chinese President Xi Jinping and called for reforms in the country's legal and political system, he was detained by the police in January 2018 in Beijing and was later charged with inciting subversion of state power. Yu was put into trial in 2019 secretly and his family has no knowledge about it. During his detention of more than two years, the activist was not allowed to meet his lawyer or family and there were major concerns of torture during custody. The UN working group also demanded in April last year that he should be released. "He can’t accept this outcome. He would appeal," his wife said, demanding his unconditional release. Yu, three months before his detention too, said that under Xi's rule, China has marched "backwards" and demanded his resignation.

China: Prominent human rights lawyer jailed for four years, says wife

Asma Jilani Jahangir was a well-known human rights lawyer and a social activist. She died on Sunday in Lahore due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 66.&nbsp;

Jahangir was born and raised in Lahore, Jahangir studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary before receiving her B.A from Kinnaird and LLB from the Punjab University in 1978. In 1980, Jahangir was called to the Lahore High Court and to the Supreme Court in 1982.&nbsp;

She was also an outspoken critic of the powerful military establishment, including during her stint as the first-ever female leader of Pakistan&#39;s top bar association.

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Asma Jahangir fought for justice for the people of Balochistan. (Twitter)
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In 1987 she co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and became its Secretary General until 1993 when she was elevated as commission&#39;s chairperson.

She was also put under house arrest in 2007 by the government of then-military ruler Pervez Musharraf for her participation in the&nbsp;Lawyers&#39; Movement.&nbsp;In 2012 she claimed her life was in danger from the feared Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency.

Asma Jahangir secured a number of victories during her life, from winning freedom for bonded labourers from their &quot;owners&quot; through pioneering litigation, to a landmark court case that allowed women to marry of their own volition.

She received several awards, including a Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010 and a Sitara-i-Imtiaz. She was also awarded a UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights and an Officier de la L&eacute;gion d&#39;honneur by France as well as received the 2014 Right Livelihood Award and the 2010 Freedom Award.

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Asma Jahangir with Malala who met in Oxford last week. (Twitter)
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There is still terrible violence against women, discrimination against minorities and near-slavery for bonded labourers, Jahangir told AFP during an interview in 2014, but human rights have made greater strides in Pakistan than may be apparent.

&quot;There was a time that human rights was not even an issue in this country. Then prisoners&#39; rights became an issue,&quot; she said.

&quot;Women&#39;s rights was thought of as a Western concept. Now people do talk about women&#39;s rights -- political parties talk about it, even religious parties talk about it.&quot;

In addition to many publications, Jahangir has authored two books: Divine Sanction? The Hudood Ordinance (1988, 2003) and Children of a Lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan (1992).[64] One of her major publications is titled &quot;Whither are We!&quot; and was published in Dawn, on 2 October 2000.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced, according to a statement by her daughter Munizae Jahangir, as the family waited for relatives to return to their hometown of Lahore.

Renowned lawyer and human rights activist Asma Jahangir passed away on Sunday in Lahore due to a cardiac arrest. She was 66

Asma Jilani Jahangir was a well-known human rights lawyer and a social activist. She died on Sunday in Lahore due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 66. Jahangir was born and raised in Lahore, Jahangir studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary before receiving her B.A from Kinnaird and LLB from the Punjab University in 1978. In 1980, Jahangir was called to the Lahore High Court and to the Supreme Court in 1982. She was also an outspoken critic of the powerful military establishment, including during her stint as the first-ever female leader of Pakistan's top bar association. Asma Jahangir fought for justice for the people of Balochistan. (Twitter) × In 1987 she co-founded the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and became its Secretary General until 1993 when she was elevated as commission's chairperson. She was also put under house arrest in 2007 by the government of then-military ruler Pervez Musharraf for her participation in the Lawyers' Movement. In 2012 she claimed her life was in danger from the feared Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. Asma Jahangir secured a number of victories during her life, from winning freedom for bonded labourers from their "owners" through pioneering litigation, to a landmark court case that allowed women to marry of their own volition. She received several awards, including a Hilal-i-Imtiaz in 2010 and a Sitara-i-Imtiaz. She was also awarded a UNESCO/Bilbao Prize for the Promotion of a Culture of Human Rights and an Officier de la Légion d'honneur by France as well as received the 2014 Right Livelihood Award and the 2010 Freedom Award. Asma Jahangir with Malala who met in Oxford last week. (Twitter) × There is still terrible violence against women, discrimination against minorities and near-slavery for bonded labourers, Jahangir told AFP during an interview in 2014, but human rights have made greater strides in Pakistan than may be apparent. "There was a time that human rights was not even an issue in this country. Then prisoners' rights became an issue," she said. "Women's rights was thought of as a Western concept. Now people do talk about women's rights -- political parties talk about it, even religious parties talk about it." In addition to many publications, Jahangir has authored two books: Divine Sanction? The Hudood Ordinance (1988, 2003) and Children of a Lesser God: Child Prisoners of Pakistan (1992).[64] One of her major publications is titled "Whither are We!" and was published in Dawn, on 2 October 2000. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced, according to a statement by her daughter Munizae Jahangir, as the family waited for relatives to return to their hometown of Lahore.

Pakistan's Asma Jahangir: Outspoken critic of the army, defender of human rights

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China: Prominent human rights lawyer jailed for four years, says wife

Pakistan's Asma Jahangir: Outspoken critic of the army, defender of human rights