Chinese American scholar Shujun Wang was convicted in New York of acting as a foreign agent and spying on dissidents in the U.S. for the Chinese government. Prosecutors argued that Wang, who founded a pro-democracy group in the city, used his activist reputation to gather information from critics of the Chinese government and reported it back to Beijing. Although his lawyers claimed Wang was open with U.S. authorities and counter argue any harm caused, the jury found him guilty. Wang faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for January 9th. Several Chinese officials charged alongside him remain at large, as part of U.S. efforts to combat what they see as “transnational repression.” The Chinese embassy in Washington denies these claims, stating they respect international law and do not interfere in other countries’ affairs. Wang’s case involved sending information on Hong Kong protesters, activists, and dissidents to China through encrypted emails and claiming the information was public knowledge. In FBI interviews, Wang initially denied connections to the Ministry of State Security but later admitted to gathering information, arguing that it was not valuable or secret. He portrayed himself as a gregarious academic, and his communications with agents depict a nonchalant attitude towards the investigation. Wang’s case highlights the complex nature of espionage and the challenges of prosecuting individuals involved in intelligence activities.
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Pro-democracy activist convicted in U.S. for providing China with information on dissidents
