¡¡WUHAN, June 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Du Daobin, a 40-year-old native of Wuhan City, capital of central China's Hubei Province, on Friday was sentenced in a first-instant trial to three years' imprisonment with a reprieve of four years for being found guilty of instigating and subverting the state power.

    The ruling was handed down by the Intermediate People's Court of Xiaogan City, also in Hubei, via a public trial.

    In accordance with the ruling, Du was also deprived of his political power for two years.

    The court was told that Du, male, published his 26 articles on the Internet from May 2002 to Oct. 2003, overtly instigating and subverting the state power by way of slander.

    Du pleaded guilty by confessing to his criminal activities during the interrogation.

    The court verdict says Du was dealt leniently as he was quite cooperative during interrogation. Enditem