Gao Yu, an independent journalist who faced charges of leaking state secrets, has had her sentence cut short from seven years to five years, and will be allowed to serve it outside of prison.
Voice of America interviewed Gao’s lawyer Shang Baojun over the phone for details of the second trial which ended on Thursday.
Shang insisted that defense lawyers maintained that [this case] did not have clear facts presented, and lacked evidence; the verdict should be changed to "not guilty."
Shang added that given that Gao is in her 70’s, and she has health problems, as her defense lawyer, he took comfort in the fact that her reduced term will be served outside of prison.
Xinhua News Agency reported that the court decided to change Gao’s sentence after "she confessed her crimes, pleaded guilty, and repented her wrongdoing during the second trial."
Sources: Voice of America, November 26, 2015
http://www.voachinese.com/media/video/voaweishi-20151126-voaconnects-gao-yu/3074715.html
Xinhua News Agency, November 26, 2015
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2015-11/26/c_1117274878.htm