China court rejects artist Ai Weiwei's tax appeal - Page 2 of 2 - Capital Business
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Ai talks to the foreign media outside a court in Beijing, on September 27/AFP

Kenya

China court rejects artist Ai Weiwei’s tax appeal

He is known for tallying the number of schoolchildren killed in a 2008 earthquake, a taboo subject because many schools collapsed while other buildings did not, fuelling suspicion that government corruption led to shoddy construction.

Ai said police detained and beat him in 2009 to prevent him from testifying at the trial of another activist who investigated the issue, and later underwent surgery in Germany as a result of his injuries.

He was taken into custody for 81 days last year during a round-up of activists as popular revolts gathered force in the Middle East.
Upon his release he was accused of tax evasion and barred from leaving the country for one year.

His legal team have said they had new evidence for Thursday’s retrial, the second and final appeal in his case against the Beijing tax bureau.

“There was never any hearing or deliberation. It was like the verdict was well prepared in advance,” Ai said.

Ai has all along said he expected to lose the fight, saying China’s judiciary was not independent.

Indignant supporters had earlier collected $1.3 million to pay the bond required to challenge the charge, with some even throwing money over the walls into his courtyard home.

The bond will be used to pay part of the $2.4 million fine, but Ai did not indicate whether or how he planned to repay the rest of the fine, nor did he make clear what his next move might be.

“As far as I understand, this is it. Anything else, I need to ask my lawyers,” he said.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

After his travel ban expired this June he said he was still unable to leave the country pending an investigation for alleged crimes including putting “pornography” on the Internet.

The restriction has prevented Ai from attending overseas exhibitions of his work, the value of which has shot up since his detention thrust him into the global spotlight.

Pages: 1 2

Advertisement

More on Capital Business