Heavy hand from Beijing: 18 years in prison for government critics – News

In China, a well-known businessman and real estate critic was sentenced to 18 years in prison by President Xi Jinping. The ruling against Ren Zhiqiang by a Beijing court was due, among other things, to corruption.

Son of a former deputy minister

The now 69-year-old was until recently a member of the Communist Party. His father was a vice minister of the Chinese central government, Ren himself was for a long time the president of a state-owned real estate company. However, Ren has long been considered a critic of the Chinese leadership.

Shortly before Ren disappeared from the public eye in March, the businessman called the president a “clown” in an article and harshly criticized his policy in the crown pandemic. This was followed by the official indictment and expulsion from the party.

Abuse of the anti-corruption campaign?

According to official information, more than a million officials and politicians at all levels have been sanctioned during President Xi’s anti-corruption campaign. Critics accuse Xi of using the campaign to consolidate his power and eliminate political opponents.