DHAKA: Xu Zhiyong, a prominent human rights lawyer who campaigned against corruption, has gone on trial in China.

 Xu is charged with "gathering crowds to disrupt public order". He is one of several activists from a transparency movement to be tried this week.

Rights groups have criticised President Xi Jinping - who pledged to fight corruption - over their trials.

They come as a report says many members of China`s elite have set up offshore companies in overseas tax havens.

The trial of Xu Zhiyong, who was arrested in July 2013, began on Wednesday in Beijing.

There was tight security outside the court, with police blocking journalists from approaching or filming outside the courthouse.

Western diplomats attending the trial say they are being held in a room in the courthouse, separated from journalists and others, AP news agency reported.

 Xu`s lawyer, Zhang Qingfang, said that a fair trial looked "unlikely".

"As Xu Zhiyong`s defence lawyer, I really hope that we can fully defend him in a fair court, but obviously the court hasn`t given us this opportunity," he said.

"Last week I applied for five witnesses to come and testify, but not only did the court reject my application, but also the police have been restricting these witnesses in the last two days," he added.]

BDST: 1435 HRS, JAN 22, 2014