On 24 April, Chinese petitioner Hu Lianyou was sentenced to two years in prison for defamation after comments made about a local police chief online, according to Chinese state media. Hu allegedly wrote posts on popular websites accusing two officers, including police chief Zheng Hang, of corruption and beating him during an interrogation. The petitioner requested that the trial take place in a more neutral court, rather than in his native Dong’an county, where he has a history of criticising authorities. His request was denied, according to the Chinese Media Project.