Christian human rights activist released from Chinese prison after serving 4-year sentence

The Chinese government has released a prominent human rights activist on Saturday after having served his four-year prison sentence.

Xu Zhiyong, a Christian lawyer and activist who founded the "New Citizens' Movement," was released from his jail on Beijing's outskirts on Saturday morning in good physical condition.

His lawyer, Zhang Qingfang, said that he had been updated with "events on the outside," including the death of fellow activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Liu Xiaobo. Zhang said that Xu had been "upset" upon hearing the news.

According to Reuters, the prominent activist was detained in 2013 and subsequently convicted of "gathering a crowd to disturb public order." He first gained prominence in 2003 for helping victims of tainted baby formula and migrant workers without access to healthcare and education.

Xu's activism, which attracted hundreds of supporters, prompted a crackdown from the Communist Party, which swiftly crushes any perceived challenge to its rule.

One of the main advocacies of Xu's group was to require officials to publicly disclose their assets, a demand taken against the backdrop of the ruling Communist Party's efforts to crack down on corruption.

"The idea of the New Citizens Movement is not to overthrow, but to establish," Xu wrote in a 2010 essay. "It's not one social class displacing another social class, but allowing righteousness to take its place in China," he added.

During his trial in 2014, he refused to defend himself and remained silent in protest of what Zhang said was a controlled legal process where a guilty outcome was a foregone conclusion.

At the end of his trial, he delivered a speech, in which he talked about his faith and the values that inspire his advocacy.

"Freedom, justice, and love, these are our core values and what guides us in action," he stated. "You may find my ideas too far-out, too unrealistic, but I believe in the power of faith, and in the power of the truth, compassion and beauty that exists in the depths of the human soul, just as I believe human civilization is advancing mightily like a tide," he added.

After the sentencing, Maya Wang of Human Rights Watch noted that Xu was "very moderate" and has been accused of "bending over backwards to meet the other side."

"This heavy sentence will be seen as a slap in the face for that group of activists who have tried to put out a moderate message," she remarked.

At the time, U.S. Embassy Spokesman Nolan Barkhouse expressed concern that Xu's conviction was a retribution for public campaign to expose the corruption of Chinese officials.

It is still not clear if Xu would be allowed to live as a free man, and his supporters are concerned that he will be kept under close watch or effective house arrest.

Some social media posts have suggested that security guards and plain-clothed officers have prevented people from visiting him at his home after his release.

Other high-profile prisoners who have been released from jail, including rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang and journalist Gao Yu, remain under the close watch of Chinese authorities.