Ai spent 81 days in secret detention last year. In July the Chaoyang District Court rejected another tax penalty appeal by Ai [JURIST report]. In June the court banned Ai from attending [JURIST report] the first hearing in the case and further banned him from attending any hearings, including the delivery of the verdict. Ai's wife Lu Qing, the legal representative of Fake Cultural Development, attended the hearing with other lawyers and reported that during the hearing witnesses they requested were blocked from testifying including Ai. Other rights activists such as Hu Jia [advocacy blog; JURIST news archive] were also barred from attending the hearing. The court also closed the five-seat chamber to journalists and filming. The court agreed to hear [JURIST report] the case in May, surprising many with its ruling since Chinese courts rarely accept appeals claims brought by dissidents and their relatives.