Chinese Authorities Intensify Crackdown on Petitioners Ahead of Asian Games in Hangzhou

As the Asian Games scheduled for September 23rd in Hangzhou draw near, the Chinese communist regime has intensified its efforts to tighten social control by targeting petitioners across the country. Reports of a widespread crackdown on individuals seeking to raise grievances with central authorities have surfaced, prompting concerns about human rights violations and illegal detentions.

In recent days, a surge in social media posts has revealed that numerous cities have established checkpoints at highway intersections to conduct security checks aimed at preventing local petitioners from traveling. Disturbing accounts indicate that some petitioners have been subjected to surveillance, arrest, and even physical assault, with incidents including individuals being forcibly removed from buses and assaulted.

The Shanghai Municipal Office for Petitioning, since August 22, has reportedly initiated interception measures against petitioners, confining them to what are known as “black jails” – unofficial detention facilities used by the Chinese government to suppress dissent.

Petitioners, citizens who harbor grievances against local authorities and wish to bring their concerns to Beijing, have long been subjected to harassment and intimidation. In response to the impending Asian Games, petitioners from across the country converged outside the state petitioning office in Beijing on Sunday night, anticipating the office’s opening on Monday. However, these petitioners were apprehended by local authorities and transported back to their hometowns. Some have reported being detained in these black jails, with their whereabouts and well-being remaining uncertain.

Chen Guoying, a petitioner from Shanghai, recounted his experience: “Hangzhou is preparing for the Games. All of us who went to Beijing were stopped and returned to Shanghai. Yesterday I took the 1461 high-speed train back, and I was directly taken and locked up in a hotel.”

Chen Meihua, another petitioner, was taken away by local authorities in Shanghai and transported to Suzhou, an adjacent city, leaving her exact whereabouts unknown. Chen Huiying, after her return to Shanghai, was initially detained at a police station before being transferred to a black site on Hengsha Island for further confinement.

These actions by the authorities have sparked outrage among petitioners who view them as a violation of their right to express grievances through proper channels. Legal experts have pointed out that intercepting petitioners without due process might constitute the crime of illegal detention.

Meng Fanyong, a mainland Chinese lawyer, condemned the escalating suppression of petitioners, stating, “It is a blatantly illegal act to restrict or even deprive citizens of the right to petition in the form of interception.” He called on petitioners to assert their rights by pursuing legal action against such practices.

As the nation prepares for the Asian Games, the human rights situation in China continues to be scrutinized on the global stage. The intensification of efforts to suppress dissent raises concerns about the regime’s commitment to fundamental rights and freedoms.

(Contribution from International News Outlet and Agency)