On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the June 4th Incident, public security authorities across China have entered a comprehensive period of maintaining stability. Dissidents, human rights activists, and petitioners in Beijing, Guizhou, and other places have been brought under control by the police. Due to financial constraints in local governments, many dissidents are no longer being forcibly sent on trips, but instead have been put under closer surveillance.
Every year before the anniversary of June 4th, the Chinese authorities heavily monitor dissidents in various regions. Prominent figures in the dissident community are either put under closer watch or forced to go on trips. It is believed that this crackdown is a precaution as the authorities fear these individuals might organize commemorative events or make critical statements, which are seen as challenges to the regime.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the June 4th movement. According to reports from Beijing, as the countdown to June 4th approaches, dissidents such as Cha Jianguo and He Depu have been put under close watch by the police, human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang was taken on a trip to Wutai Mountain in Shanxi, and independent media figure Gao Yu was taken away from her home to stay in the outskirts of Beijing.
On May 31st, Radio Free Asia reported that an individual, who requested anonymity for personal safety reasons, mentioned that this year Gao Yu did not go on a trip as usual. Officers from the local police station and community office visited Gao Yu a few days earlier, stating that the local public security bureau had called the police station in their jurisdiction, indicating that this year the national security officers would not be involved in Gao Yu’s surveillance. On the 30th, personnel from the community office and a police officer drove Gao Yu to the outskirts of Beijing for ‘sightseeing’.
Last year, sources revealed that Gao Yu was taken on a trip to Luoyang, Henan by the public security officers.
Another individual, Ms. Zhang, who wishes to remain anonymous in Beijing, mentioned that human rights activists like Hu Jia and Li Weiming have also been put under close watch. She stated that this year’s surveillance strategy of the authorities is focused on cost-saving measures, cutting down on surveillance expenses wherever possible.
She added that Cha Jianguo, He Depu, Hu Jia, and Li Weiming have all been closely monitored. Due to financial constraints, the national security officers are no longer willing to participate in surveillance activities. Instead, the community offices are now taking on the financial burden, but they have limited resources. As a result, those originally planned for interprovincial trips are now being monitored within their local counties, while those previously monitored within the counties are now under house arrest. The surveillance budget has been depleted, to the extent that they can’t even afford train or plane tickets.
A member of a seminar in Guizhou, who requested anonymity using the surname Huang, mentioned that individuals like Chen Xi, Liao Shuangyuan, Huang Yanming, and Zeng Ning are among over ten individuals under house arrest. He stated, “The government is really running out of money, the public security budget is insufficient, they have no money left.” He added, “Last time, we used to go to vacation resorts in the countryside, but now we are all stuck at home, put under watch by them.”
During the countdown to last year’s June 4th, dissidents like Chen Xi, Li Renke, Liao Shuangyuan, Huang Yanming, and Zhang Jialong from the “Guizhou Human Rights Seminar” were either warned, put under surveillance, or taken to rural home-stays and vacation resorts on the outskirts of Guiyang. As in previous years, the national security officers were only allowed to return to their homes in Guiyang after the end of the June 4th anniversary.
Recently, dissident Cheng Xiaofeng from Zhuzhou, Hunan said that the national security officers had called him multiple times, “They’ve called and visited a few times. I’m not allowed to go out during this period. Those more active in this circle like Ren Ming have also been warned. The local police station is now passing the buck, they don’t want to deal with the active individuals. In the past, we used to be taken out for trips, but this year there’s no talk of any trips.”
Human rights lawyers on business trips have been required to return to their registered residences for monitoring. Mr. Xu, a human rights lawyer on a business trip mentioned, “Lawyer Lu Siwei from Sichuan said he wanted to visit his mother in Chongqing, but the national security officers clearly told him that during the June 4th period, he must return to Chengdu where they would monitor him. He had to return to Beijing, where three security guards were stationed below his apartment.”
Furthermore, petitioners in Beijing have also been subjected to ‘stability maintenance’ by the authorities. Ms. Teng, a petitioner living in the outskirts of Beijing, stated, “Currently, quite a few petitioners in Beijing have been detained.”
In addition, the Chinese government has consistently tried to cover up and distort the truth about the June 4th Incident, and has prohibited citizens from freely expressing their views on the event. Therefore, during this sensitive period, law enforcement will strengthen control to maintain political order.