Ai Weiwei’s appeal of a fine for tax evasion has been rejected—and the activist and artist has been barred from attending court to even hear his verdict announced. The controversial Chinese dissident and his supporters argue that the fine is motivated by politics rather than by law. “We will keep appealing, until the day comes when we have nothing to lose,” he tweeted. And his lawyer, who was allowed to hear the verdict, called it “totally without reason.” After being released from nearly three months of detention without a charge last year, Ai was accused of tax evasion.
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