Zhao Lianhai, who was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for his work defending victims of the tainted milk powder, has applied for medical parole after missing the deadline to file an appeal. From AFP:
After the verdict, Zhao angrily stated his intention to appeal, according to his lawyers. The deadline for an appeal was Monday.
State-controlled Xinhua news agency said Tuesday that an appeal was not filed, but added that Zhao had applied for medical parole.
His attorney Li Fangping told AFP it was not known whether Zhao had actually been barred from appealing, saying the defence team has been cut off from him.
“Whether or not an appeal has been submitted or he has applied for medical parole is just not clear to us right now. We have been trying to get in touch with him and the court but have not been able to,” he said.
The lawyer Teng Biao reported on Twitter that Zhao had already been released, but then said those reports were unconfirmed. Read more from @siweiluozi.
