Tags: Pro-democracy

The trial of one of China's most high profile human rights lawyers, on charges of inciting ethnic hatred and provoking trouble, lasted just three hours on Monday, with police blocking diplomats, foreign reporters and protesters from the Beijing court.

Hundreds of pro-democracy activists rallied near government headquarters on Monday amid tight security to mark the first anniversary of pro-democracy protests that crippled parts of the Chinese-controlled city.

The Hong Kong government published a long-awaited electoral blueprint for selecting the city's next leader on Wednesday, a plan enshrining China's desire for a tightly controlled poll that has angered activists and stoked talk of fresh protests.