Before the upcoming Fourth Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party, a number of dissidents, human rights activists, independent scholars, and petitioners in Beijing, Chengdu, Guizhou, and other places have been restricted in their movements by public security personnel. Participants in interviews indicated that this year, due to the tightening of stability maintenance funds, the authorities have not enforced the usual “mandatory travel” away from their places of residence, but instead opted for house arrest. Local sources noted that this reflects signs of financial constraints within the local stability maintenance system.
According to individuals interviewed in various locations, the police have recently intensified control over so-called “sensitive individuals.” National security personnel have explicitly informed them that due to inadequate funds, they are unable to enforce “traveling out” and have resorted to home confinement.
A dissident in Beijing, Mr. Wu, revealed to reporters that independent media personality Gao Yu, scholar Zha Jianguo, dissident He Depu, human rights lawyers Pu Zhiqiang and Mo Shaoping, rights activist Li Wei, Zhang Baocheng, as well as vaccine rights representative Qian Dalong, are currently under surveillance. “This time, instead of being sent on a trip, they are staying at home,” he said. “Public security and community personnel are on duty at the door, not allowing them to go out.”
A female independent scholar in Beijing, Ms. Zhang, told reporters that she was orally warned by the police not to post online. “Yesterday (16th), they came to my house and told me that Zhao Ziyang’s death anniversary is approaching, and starting from tomorrow, I cannot post on Twitter. I said it’s my freedom, who gave you the power to prevent me from accessing the internet, I will do it. I heard that Gao Yu also received a similar warning.”
In Sichuan, there have been cases of forcing individuals to travel being replaced with surveillance. A petitioner surnamed Li in Chengdu said that local public security personnel have monitored him since the 15th, prohibiting him from going out. “The Fourth Plenary Session is about to begin, they are afraid I will go to Beijing to petition. Today (the 17th) is also the 106th anniversary of Zhao Ziyang’s death, and they are worried I will go to Beijing to mourn Zhao Ziyang.”
Zhao Ziyang, the former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, was dismissed in 1989 and long subjected to house arrest until his death in 2005. Since his passing, people have visited his former residence and other places to commemorate him on his birthday and death anniversary every year. The petitioner Li mentioned that he attended the memorial in Beijing last year, but this year he was put under surveillance by the local public security and prohibited from going out.
A dissident in Chengdu, Chen Yunfei, has been put under surveillance by the police since the 15th. On the 16th, he was stopped by security guards when he went out for personal reasons, leading to a dispute and a subsequent report to the police. According to Chen’s friend, both Chen Yunfei and others from the church have been restricted in their movements. “Some are under surveillance, some have been warned not to wander during the Fourth Plenary Session and need to report their whereabouts. The practice of inviting them for tea or meals has been canceled this time.”
Huang, a member of a human rights workshop in Guizhou, stated that several members have been put under surveillance. “This time, without traveling, they say the funds have not been approved, so they are just staying at home. This includes Liao Shuangyuan, Huang Yanming, Zeng Ning, Shen Youlian, Xu Guoqing, and Zhang Chongfa, among others.”
Huang further mentioned that although not everyone is under surveillance, the national security personnel demand that all members do not leave their sight. “National security calls every day asking where we are. Since the day before yesterday (15th), both national security and the police station have required us to track the movements of each individual.”
Another unnamed member of the workshop shared that some must remain under surveillance 24 hours a day while others are required to report their location at all times. “National security really can’t afford security guards anymore; they asked me to upload a photo tomorrow (the 18th) indicating my location. The number of guards at the entrance has been reduced to one person.” He added, “At last year’s Third Plenum, we were all taken out for ‘traveling,’ this year it has changed to being monitored at home.”
The Fourth Plenary Session of the Chinese Communist Party is set to be held in Beijing on October 20. The local public security system has entered a state of temporary control. Several petitioners in Fangshan, Beijing, informed reporters, “In recent days, the police station visits the petitioners’ villages every day to arrest people, loading several cars with them heading to the Jiu Jingzhuang Petitioner Reception Center. Those involved in local petitions are being taken back and detained.”
A petitioner in Shanghai, Mr. Wang, mentioned that in the past sensitive times, some people would be sent to Chongming Island for rural tourism, or they would be given money to temporarily leave. This year, many people are being kept at home, “They are not receiving any money now, they are out of funds.” Wang said that those interviewed were informed not to leave their local area and not to speak out publicly.
In recent years, it has become a common practice for the Chinese Communist Party’s local authorities to enforce “mandatory travel” or surveillance of dissidents before major conferences. However, this also indicates that the operation of the stability maintenance system is facing difficulties due to financial constraints at the local level.