Quake researcher jailed in Beijing

BEIJING - A Chinese court has sentenced an activist who investigated the deaths of thousands of schoolchildren in the country's massive 2008 earthquake to five years in jail for inciting subversion of state power, the man's lawyer said.

Lawyer Pu Zhiqiang said activist Tan Zuoren was convicted of the charge by the Chengdu Intermediate Court.

Tan's trial in August had concluded with no ruling, while police detained and threatened the man's supporters. Tan's supporters said they believed authorities were trying to silence him for his investigation into the collapse of schools in the 7.9-magnitude earthquake that struck in Sichuan province in May 2008, leaving almost 90,000 dead or missing.

Tan estimated at least 5600 students were among the dead. Pu said Tan would appeal the court's decision.

"Tan thinks one of the reasons behind this case is that he was leading an investigation into the poorly built schools after the earthquake, which would have embarrassed the local government in Chengdu," Pu said.

Critics allege shoddy construction, enabled by corruption, caused several schools to collapse while buildings nearby remained intact - a theory the Government has tried to quash.

- AP