From New York Times:
If not for his “bad” family background, Mo Shaoping might be a senior military officer now. Instead, he has become one of China’s leading human rights lawyers, representing prominent political dissidents, journalists and even practitioners of the banned Falun Gong sect.
His clients have included Huang Qi, who recently was sentenced to three years in prison after demanding an investigation of school collapses in last year’s Sichuan earthquake; Zhao Yan, a researcher for The New York Times who was accused of revealing state secrets; and Liu Xiaobo, who was jailed three times before his current detention, charged with “inciting subversion” for his work on the Charter 08 democracy manifesto.
At the trial, which started Wednesday, Mr. Liu will be represented by other lawyers from Mr. Mo’s firm. Mr. Mo has been barred from representing Mr. Liu directly, because he also signed Charter 08, which calls for political reforms and the rule of law.
