China's MeToo advocate faces trial on charges of subversion

A prominent activist in China's MeToo movement has been put on trial for subversion, according to activists. Sophia Huang Xueqin, a journalist, faced trial alongside labor campaigner Wang Jianbing in Guangzhou on Friday. Both were arrested in 2021 during China's crackdown on activists. Concerns have been raised by rights groups regarding their well-being while in detention, with reports of sleep deprivation and malnutrition. The trial took place under heavy security, with authorities surrounding the court premises with a fence. Ms. Huang, known for sparking the first MeToo case in China in 2018, was planning to pursue a master's degree in the UK on gender violence and conflict when she was detained. Amnesty International's deputy regional director for Asia, Sarah Brooks, referred to them as part of a brave new wave of Chinese activists and condemned the baseless charges brought against them.