US, Germany and France urge China to free a human rights lawyer and his wife accused of subversion

BEIJING (AP) — The United States, Germany and France have called for the release of a Chinese human rights lawyer and his wife who were sentenced to prison this week. On Tuesday, a court in Suzhou sentenced lawyer Yu Wensheng to three years’ detention and his wife, Xu Yan, to one year and nine months after finding them guilty of inciting subversion of state power. The U.S. State Department said in a statement Friday that the sentences demonstrate China’s “continuing efforts to silence those who speak out for human rights and the rule of law.” The European Union, Germany and France also called for their immediate release. Yu was vocal in defending the rights of other human rights lawyers during a crackdown in 2015.