BEIJING — One of China’s most prominent human rights lawyers was given a suspended prison sentence on Tuesday after being convicted of two charges in connection with his provocative online criticism of the government.

The sentence — three years in prison, with a three-year reprieve — meant that the lawyer, Pu Zhiqiang, 50, would go free, and that he would not serve more time behind bars unless he committed another offense, said Mo Shaoping, one of Mr. Pu’s lawyers. But Mr. Mo said the conviction also meant that Mr. Pu’s career as a lawyer was over.

“According to Chinese law, whoever is given a criminal punishment, except for crimes that are unintentional, will never be allowed to practice law again,” Mr. Mo said in an interview after the ruling.

Mr. Pu was released from a Beijing detention center on Tuesday afternoon and driven with his wife, Meng Qun, to a house assigned to him by the police, Mr. Mo said. He was to remain under surveillance there for 10 days, after which he was expected to be free to go home, the lawyer said.