China opposition party lasts a day, founder jailed

[NewsCaster]

By NBC News staff and wire reportsUpdated at 6:30 a.m. ET: BEIJING -- A court in China has sentenced a man to eight years in prison for trying to form an opposition party and for online messages criticizing the ruling Chinese Communist Party, a week ahead of a congress which will usher in a new generation of leaders.

Cao Haibo, 27, had called for democracy and had tried to form a party called the "China Republican Party," his lawyer, Ma Xiaopeng, said.

The court in the southwestern city of Kunming sentenced Haibo on Wednesday for "subversion of state power," Ma said.

More China coverage from NBC News' Behind the Wall blog

NBCNews

[KingFemzee]

China, a country where citizens are more or less under shackles.