SHANGHAI HOUSING RIGHTS LAWYER ZHANG ENCHONG UPDATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SHANGHAI 000081

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/CM AND DRL/PHD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/26/2033
TAGS: PHUM PGOV CH
SUBJECT: SHANGHAI HOUSING RIGHTS LAWYER ZHANG ENCHONG UPDATE

REF: A) SHANGHAI 75 AND PREVIOUS; B) SHANGHAI 19

CLASSIFIED BY: Christopher Beede, Political/Economic Section
Chief, U.S. Consulate , Shanghai .
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)




1. (C) In a phone conversation on the evening of February 22,
Shanghai Housing Rights Lawyer Zheng Enchong confirmed that he
is currently under heavy surveillance and was beaten by thugs he
believed to be plainclothes police. According to Zheng, he was
beaten by two "policemen" on February 16 after he refused to
sign a document. Currently, there are 10 "policemen" waiting
outside his apartment building who are intent on preventing him
from leaving the building. He attempted to leave once but was
dragged back up the stairs and beaten by the "policemen".


2. (C) When asked what triggered the increase in surveillance
and police harassment, Zheng said that the government did not
want him to meet with journalists. He was on his way to meet
with a New York Time journalist when he was beaten on February

16. He added that he has also written a letter to President
Bush thanking him for his support of Protestants in China. He
wanted to pass this letter on to the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai
or to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. If he is unable to give the
letter to either the Consulate or Embassy, he would find a way
to get the letter to Hong Kong and ask that the U.S. Consulate
in Hong Kong pass the letter to President Bush.


3. (SBU) A February 26 New York Times article reported that
associates close to Zheng believe that the police have increased
their efforts to silence Zheng after he started advising
residents who had organized protests against the Shanghai
government's plans to extend the high-speed Maglev train. (See
Ref. B) The article added that others believe that Zheng is
being punished for speaking out on high-level corruption. Zheng
reportedly has detailed information on Huang Ju, Jiang Zemin and
other members of the "Shanghai Gang."


4. (C) Comment: It is unlikely that there is just one reason
behind the government's efforts to silence Zheng. Since his
released in June 2006, Zheng has been very outspoken in his
criticism of the government and has also been quoted several
times in the Western media. Shanghai has also witnessed
large-scale protests by home owners against the local
government's plans to extend the Maglev. In addition, the
government could also be trying to clamp down on dissenting
voices in the run-up to the National People's Congress in early
March.

JARRETT