An American geologist detained and tortured by China's state security agents over an oil industry database has been sentenced to 8 years in jail.
The case of Xue Feng has been a troubling example of China's rough justice system and the way the U.S. government handles cases against its citizens.
Lawyer Tong Wei said the sentence was handed down Monday by Beijing's No. 1 Intermediate People's Court.
Xue was charged with seeking and providing intelligence, which was related to the purchase of a commercial database on the oil industry.
The verdict comes more than six months since the last court hearing and two and a half years after Xue was detained. The protracted prosecution and pretrial detention has never been explained.
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