Professor suspended for law breach: university

Zhang Xuezhong, a professor with the Shanghai-based East China University of Political Science and Law, has been suspended from teaching, the university confirmed to the Global Times on Wednesday.

The university circulated a notice on August 23 stating that since 2009 Zhang had expressed political opinions that go against the law, and he would be suspended from the first semester of the academic year.

"I teach Civil Law in the university, the teaching content is not directly related with politics. Therefore, I am not used to discussing political issues in class," Zhang said in his latest clarification published online Wednesday.

The notice said that Zhang compiled his opinions into an pamphlet titled New Common Sense and spread his political opinion among students and teachers. It also said Zhang's behavior was not professional or ethical.

The university expected Zhang to realize and correct those mistakes after he published an article in Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao in 2009, however, Zhang still published his opinions on the Internet.

The university notice, and Zhang's August 21 statement and Wednesday's clarification could not be located as of the press time and both Zhang and the university refused to release more details of the suspension.