China activist Xu Zhiyong in silent protest at trial

BEIJING, Jan 22 (AFP): Prominent Chinese activist Xu Zhiyong was tried Wednesday for his role in anti-corruption protests but defied the court by refusing to speak, his lawyer said, calling the proceedings a "piece of theatre".

Prosecutors called for Xu, founder of the New Citizens Movement, to be sentenced to the maximum five years in jail for "assembling a crowd to disrupt order in a public place".

He was accused of being involved in demonstrations featuring banners calling for asset disclosure by officials-seen as a key measure against graft.

Dozens of uniformed and plain-clothes police surrounded the court in Beijing, with some physically pushing reporters away.

Several Xu supporters said at least three protesters nearby had been detained.

Xu's lawyer Zhang Qingfang told AFP he and his client had remained silent inside the court. "We don't want to take part in a piece of theatre, we are not actors, we can't act," he said.

"The court tried to persuade Xu to speak... and spent 10 minutes trying to persuade the lawyers to speak," added Zhang, who says the trial is procedurally flawed and the evidence was not sufficient to prove the crime.

"Xu maintained silence throughout the trial."

The trial was completed in a six-hour hearing, he said, adding no date was set for the verdict.

Xu is one of several New Citizens Movement activists-including businessmen and a lawyer-due to stand trial this week in what has been viewed as part of a government crackdown on dissent.