Zhang Xiangzhong, an activist associated with the New Citizens Movement, whose members held small-scale protests calling for government officials to disclose their assets as a curb against graft, stood trial on a charge of "credit card fraud", his attorney Xie Yanyi told AFP.

Beijing does not tolerate organised dissent and has cracked down on members of the loose-knit group, detaining dozens and sentencing several to prison.

"He has been targeted because of his involvement in the protests over asset disclosure," Xie said, arguing that the evidence was insufficient and Zhang had pleaded not guilty.

Xie said that police surrounding the court, in the city's northwestern Haidian district, denied access to those hoping to attend.

"It's effectively a secret trial... and in the view of the lawyers, it's totally illegal," he said.

Representatives from around 10 foreign countries attempted to observe the trial but were denied access, a European diplomat said, adding that there was a heavy police presence around the court.

New Citizens Movement members argued that asset disclosure would help curb rampant corruption in China, as President Xi Jinping has pledged to root out official graft.

Beijing's high court in April upheld a four-year jail sentence for Xu Zhiyong, a founder of the movement.

The verdict was condemned by international rights groups as well as the United States and European Union.

Members have said the wave of arrests, which began last year, have heavily curtailed their activities.

At its peak the group had an estimated several hundred participants, who organised dinner discussions across the country and pushed for legal and educational reforms.

Hateful gossip in Beijing targets govt, rich: media
Beijing (AFP) June 11, 2014 - A majority of "rumours" swirling in Beijing target government officials and the rich, state-run media said on Wednesday, underscoring popular resentment at society's "haves" amidst deepening inequality in China.

"About 64 percent of the rumour samples in the research involved hatred of officials, 58 percent hatred of the rich," the Global Times reported, citing a study by the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences and Social Sciences Academic Press.

"The report found rumours about more sensitive issues and involving more sensational stories that elicit hatred of officials and the rich spread much easier," it said.

China's new leaders under President Xi Jinping have sought to tackle public frustration with rampant official graft and widening income gaps by touting an anti-corruption campaign and pledging drastic economic reforms -- while also cracking down on dissent and on so-called "rumours".

Since taking charge of the ruling Communist Party in late 2012, the new leadership has presided over the arrest of dozens of activists and tightened its grip on the Internet, which despite rampant censorship has provided an alternate source of information to the strictly-controlled domestic media.

"The bad image and behaviour of government officials have always been a popular concern, and without efficient authoritative release of information, the public tend to believe social sources," the Global Times cited Renmin University professor Wang Hongwei as saying.

It cited another survey from legaldaily.com.cn, reported by The Mirror newspaper, which found that "more than half of online rumours in 2012 were about official corruption".