BOSTON (Reuters) - A Chinese music student went on trial on Monday on U.S. charges that he harassed an activist who posted fliers at the Berklee College of Music in Boston supporting democracy in China and threatened to report her activities to Chinese law enforcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter told a federal jury in Boston that Xiaolei Wu, 25, scared the activist, referred to only as Zooey in court, by making threats online to chop off her hands and report her to the Chinese government because of her “reactionary posters.”

“She was afraid for herself, and she was afraid for her family, who was back in China,” Porter said in her opening statement to a 12-person jury.

The trial comes as U.S. and Western authorities continue to warn that China’s government has increasingly exerted pressure to silence its critics abroad.

  • tsonfeir@lemm.ee
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    9 months ago

    Well, the school might have…. But where did they get the bodies from (ominous music!)

    • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      No seriously that’s the crux of this. Thats where the paper trail seems to run cold it seems. They definitely came from this school and the school is just like ‘fuck you they were donated’

        • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Under normal circumstances? But people donating their body for things like this and wanting it to be left a total secret? You would think the people who donated their bodies to be part of this display would want it to be known that they did this

          • Lemminary@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            A lot of people do donate their body “for scientific use” which can mean anything from a single necropsy, to being left to decompose in the sun for criminalistics research, to being filletted into thin strips to show at the museum. I would do that if I could, no need to thank me when I’m dead.

            • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              True but supposedly a lot of people wanted to be part of this if I remember right. That was a big thing about it.

              • EdibleFriend@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                Which leads back to this being a suspicious. Just no proof anywhere at all that these are people who donated their body to science.

              • Lemminary@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                They’re still made anonymous regardless, according to the official website. If anybody is looking for recognition for their donation, they’re looking at the wrong place. Lol