Chinese activist lawyer tried for subversion

Gao Zhisheng, an activist Chinese lawyer, was put on trial on subversion charges but neither family nor a defense lawyer were allowed to attend, the Wall Street Journal reported. Prosecutors didn't release any files on the case, saying they contained state secrets. Although the one-day trial, held at a Beijing court, was supposed to be open, no outsiders were allowed in, said Gao's attorney, Mo Shaoping. No verdict or sentence was issued, the newspaper reported. Beijing has cracked down recently on lawyers who represent people with grievances over corruption, land seizures or other sensitive issues and tightened restrictions on lawyers in an apparent effort to contain a surge in politically sensitive cases.