ROUNDUP OF DISSIDENTS, UNDESIRABLES AS BEIJING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BEIJING 006641 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2022 TAGS: PHUM PGOV SOCI CH SUBJECT: ROUNDUP OF DISSIDENTS, UNDESIRABLES AS BEIJING READIES FOR PARTY CONGRESS Classified By: Classified by Deputy Political Section Chief Ben Moeling. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Security authorities appear to be rounding up a large number of petitioners, dissidents and other "undesirables" in advance of the 17th Communist Party Congress, which opens October 15. Police are detaining petitioners in Beijing and forcibly returning them to their home towns, contacts report. One activist claims state security agents have hacked into his Google e-mail accounts, using them to spam his friends and colleagues with viruses. Treatment varies widely between dissidents, with some banned only from Tiananmen Square during the Congress while others are under constant police surveillance. Hubei activist Yao Lifa and lawyer Gao Zhisheng are missing. Supporters presume that Yao has been detained and fear that Gao has been transferred to prison. Post has raised its concerns with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over these cases. End summary. Petitioners Forced Out of Beijing -------------- ¶2. (C) In preparation for the 17th Party Congress, Chinese authorities have stepped up efforts to remove petitioners from Beijing in an effort to make the capital appear more orderly, according to Wei Wei (protect),head of the Little Bird NGO. At any given time, thousands of petitioners from across China come to Beijing in an attempt to win redress for various grievances (most involving disputes with local officials over land and compensation issues). Wei Wei, whose organization primarily helps migrant workers but also provides assistance to petitioners, told POLOFF September 26 that authorities are clamping down on petitioners and forcing them back to their home provinces. According to foreign news sources, Beijing police September 26 tore down parts of the "petitioner village," a squatter area where many petitioners stay. Tianjin-based petitioner activist Zheng Mingfan (protect) told POLOFF October 10 that authorities monitor her closely and have forbidden her from traveling to Beijing. Dissidents Claim Emails Tapped, Surveillance Increased -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Some Beijing-based dissidents also report higher-than-normal levels of official harassment. On October 11, rights activist Hu Jia told POLOFF he thinks the current "crackdown" is the most severe since the 16th Party Congress five years ago. Hu said he bases his conclusion on a number of factors, including the large number of "rights protection" activists targeted by police, the very visible police presence on Beijing streets and "enhanced" measures targeting petitioners. (Note: Hu is under house arrest and has little opportunity to observe this first hand.) Hu claims security officials broke into his Google e-mail accounts starting September 30. In an e-mailed message sent to supporters October 3, Hu said authorities had hijacked his e-mail accounts and used them to send virus-laden e-mails to his contact list. ¶4. (C) Individual activists reported that the restrictions they face vary in their severity. Democracy activist Liu Anjun (protect),for example, said that security officials have forbidden him from visiting Tiananmen Square during the period surrounding the 17th Party Congress. Security officials monitor Liu's entry and exit from his residence but generally permit him to shop and run errands on his own. Meanwhile, another activist, Qi Zhiyong (protect),told POLOFF he cannot leave his residence unaccompanied. If he does leave, Qi said, he must go in a police car. Qi told POLOFF he believes he faces especially strict restrictions due to his connection to the 1989 Tiananmen demonstrations. Rights activist Sun Xiaodi (protect) told POLOFF October 11 that six to eight security officials continue to monitor him and his family members at all times. Such treatment is not universal, however. Tiananmen dissident Chen Ziming (protect),told POLOFF October 12 that while he usually gets a visit from state security agents prior to BEIJING 00006641 002 OF 002 sensitive political events, he has had no such callers this time. Many of Chen's friends in the activist community, however, have received warnings from authorities not to make trouble during the Congress, Chen reported. Arrest of Yao Lifa, Disappearance of Gao Zhisheng -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) POLOFF met October 12 with Li Fan (protect), Director of the World and China Institute think tank, who noted that activists are being detained in advance of the Party Congress. For example, Li said Hubei activist Yao Lifa has gone "missing" and presumably has been detained by security authorities. (Note: Western media have also reported that Yao has apparently been detained.) Li lamented that Yao had recently become more "radical" and apparently "crossed the line" when he helped six local teachers organize a petition to recall the provincial Party Secretary, Yu Zhengsheng. Taking on a powerful Party Secretary like Yu, who is a Politburo member reportedly under consideration for a spot on the Politburo Standing Committee, was a real mistake, Li said. In the tense atmosphere before a Congress, when jockeying for promotions is "fierce," leaders like Yu will be especially keen to keep things stable in their locales and deny opponents any opportunity to question their leadership ability. On a more positive note, Li claimed that media reports about the detention of rights activist Lu Banglie were apparently mistaken, as Lu had since called Li to inquire about Yao Lifa. ¶6. (C) Hu Jia told POLOFF that he has "grave concerns" for the safety of activist lawyer Gao Zhisheng and his family. Hu said he has not heard from Gao or his family since September 22, the date security officials removed him from his home. Hu said he fears that Gao may have been taken to prison. Post Expresses Concern to MFA -------------- ¶7. (C) POLOFF contacted Ministry of Foreign Affairs Human Rights Deputy Division Director Li Nan October 12 to express the USG's concern over cases related to the 17th Party Congress crackdown, including Yao Lifa, Sun Xiaodi, Gao Zhisheng and Christian house church leader Hua Huiqi. Li said she will convey the USG's concerns to her superiors. Earlier, on October 5, the Embassy raised USG concerns over the reported detention and beating of rights lawyer Li Heping to Human Rights Division official Xu Jing. Piccuta