Chinese Police Harass Rights Advocates as CCP Concludes Plen
- 14 years ago
Top members of the Chinese Communist Party gathered in Beijing over the weekend to set its latest five-year plan for the country. Meanwhile local rights advocates say they are being harassed by authorities, and doubt the regime's talk of reform.
The Chinese Communist Party's 17th Central Committee concluded its Fifth Plenary Session on Monday, and issued its next five-year plan for the country's economic and social development. Although several areas of reform were listed in the plan, democracy advocate Professor Sun Wenguang does not believe the regime is willing to change.
[Professor Sun Wenguang, Chinese Democracy Advocate]:
"They have restricted my freedom. The police watch my building and they escort me when I go out. This suppression that we face shows the fact that up until now, the Chinese Communist Party has not shown it's willing to change."
Professor Sun is just one of many rights advocates Chinese police have been watching during the communist regime's latest political gathering. Beijing lawyer Jiang Tianyong says before the ruling Party's Central Committee's began its plenary session last Friday, the lock on the front door of his home was filled with superglue.
[Jiang Tianyong, Beijing Human Rights Lawyer]:
"I have no doubt that the police and the national security officials from Beijing have done this. They want to, first, stop me from leaving home, and second, to threaten me."
[Li Heping, Beijing Human Rights Lawyer]:
"In any case, the regime is nervous and paranoid. It's a case of nervousness when something has lost confidence in itself, but the measures it takes will lead to more instability in society. The results of its actions are in fact the opposite of what it wants to achieve."
The Chinese regime has been facing mounting calls for political reform and ending suppression of dissidents, but continues to ignore such calls and censors dissent.
The Chinese Communist Party's 17th Central Committee concluded its Fifth Plenary Session on Monday, and issued its next five-year plan for the country's economic and social development. Although several areas of reform were listed in the plan, democracy advocate Professor Sun Wenguang does not believe the regime is willing to change.
[Professor Sun Wenguang, Chinese Democracy Advocate]:
"They have restricted my freedom. The police watch my building and they escort me when I go out. This suppression that we face shows the fact that up until now, the Chinese Communist Party has not shown it's willing to change."
Professor Sun is just one of many rights advocates Chinese police have been watching during the communist regime's latest political gathering. Beijing lawyer Jiang Tianyong says before the ruling Party's Central Committee's began its plenary session last Friday, the lock on the front door of his home was filled with superglue.
[Jiang Tianyong, Beijing Human Rights Lawyer]:
"I have no doubt that the police and the national security officials from Beijing have done this. They want to, first, stop me from leaving home, and second, to threaten me."
[Li Heping, Beijing Human Rights Lawyer]:
"In any case, the regime is nervous and paranoid. It's a case of nervousness when something has lost confidence in itself, but the measures it takes will lead to more instability in society. The results of its actions are in fact the opposite of what it wants to achieve."
The Chinese regime has been facing mounting calls for political reform and ending suppression of dissidents, but continues to ignore such calls and censors dissent.