Hu Jia, a 34-year-old human rights activist, was convicted of "inciting subversion of state power and the socialist system," as his lawyer presented the verdict, reports the BBC. The three-and-a-half year sentence was received with great surprise and the conviction will surely become a focus for the international rights campaigns ahead of the Beijing Olympics.

The whole trial showed that President Hu Jintao and the Communist Party do not consider a priority the gain of abroad approval ahead of the Olympics and would much rather enforce the party’s structure against political criticism sending a powerful message to all planning similar activities.

Mr Hu has made numerous efforts for his beliefs in the past, conducting a large variety of campaigns concerning the environment, religious freedom and for the rights of people with HIV and AIDS.

In his defense, the European Union rushed to demand his immediate release and also the US declared to be seriously bothered by the verdict. "In this Olympic year, we urge China to seize the opportunity to put its best face forward and take steps to improve its record on human rights and religious freedom," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement as quoted by Reuters.

The case against Hu Jia was built using interviews he gave to foreign media and political articles that he wrote for the internet. His two lawyers were very troubled by the court’s decision and are now waiting for Mr. Hu’s decision on whether he will appeal or not. The ruling seems even more inadequate since Hu Jia confessed, declared to accept the punishment and had also declared to have acknowledged his “excesses.”