Recently, Fujian human rights activist Wang Xiuying came across an official message online stating that “Xu Liuping, Secretary of the Party Committee of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, is under investigation.” Viewing the crackdown on corruption as a positive development for the nation and its people, she shared this video on her WeChat Moments. As a result, her WeChat account was permanently restricted, and she was summoned by the police for questioning and blood collection.
Merely posting one message in support of the country triggered a series of troubles and harassment for Wang Xiuying. She found the whole situation absurd and decided to document her experience in an article titled “The Troubles Brought by a Simple WeChat Post.” She also expressed her intention to witness with fellow netizens the authorities’ motives in collecting biological identification information from individuals.
On May 23, the Hubei Daily WeChat account published a post announcing the investigation of Xu Liuping, Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice Chairman, and First Secretary of the Secretariat of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.
Upon seeing this message, Wang Xiuying expressed her satisfaction that corruption, seen as a cancer in the country, was being addressed. She forwarded the video on her WeChat Moments and commented, praising the country by saying, “Great job, my country! After investigating ‘Ping’ (Xu Liuping), the next target is the top (meaning higher-ranking officials).”
In her article, Wang Xiuying questioned the restrictions imposed on her account even though the video she shared was official. She raised concerns about why high-ranking corrupt officials could not be investigated if the country advocates for tackling corruption at all levels.
After posting the message on May 23, within 11 minutes, her WeChat Moments and group chat functions were restricted for a day. By May 26, her group chat and Moments were permanently restricted, leaving her puzzled as she had not posted anything during this period.
Around 9 PM on May 27, three police officers from the Xiamen Xiang’an Police Station visited Wang Xiuying’s home, requesting her to accompany them to the station for an inquiry without providing proper documentation or reasons for the summons. Feeling coerced and to avoid causing trouble for her family, she complied with the police request and went to the station.
Upon arrival, she learned that the inquiry was related to her sharing of the aforementioned WeChat content. The police questioned her about the meaning of her accompanying comment. Despite feeling uneasy, she explained her perspective on expressing approval for the anti-corruption efforts.
Completing the questioning, Wang Xiuying thought the matter was closed. However, she was then asked to write a guarantee not to post indiscriminately online or bypass internet restrictions.
Regarding the issue of bypassing internet restrictions, Wang Xiuying expressed her confusion, highlighting the double standards concerning high-ranking officials and their family members who hold foreign citizenship while she, a common citizen, faces limitations on expressing opinions online.
To avoid conflict, Wang Xiuying complied with writing the guarantee. Nevertheless, the on-duty officer insisted it be rewritten according to their template, extending the process until past 1 AM.
At this point, a female officer mentioned the collection of sensitive personal biometric information. Despite legal provisions limiting the collection of biometric data to criminal suspects and victims, Wang Xiuying reluctantly agreed to the procedure at the station.
On the afternoon of May 29, the Xiang’an Police Station called Wang Xiuying to return to the station to sign additional documentation for the record. Frustrated, she voiced her concerns about the legality of the previous procedures and her rights being infringed upon unjustly.
In her emotional plea, Wang Xiuying affirmed her innocence and her right to defend her rights, feeling unjustly targeted and harassed by the authorities. She expressed her disappointment in being treated as a suspect rather than a victim by law enforcement.
Regarding the blood collection, Wang Xiuying metaphorically remarked that she chose to face the tiger instead of running from it. She questioned the authorities’ intentions in seeking biometric information and called for scrutiny of the evolving dynamic concerning personal information gathering practices.