After more than two months since being released from prison, Xu Qin, former secretary general of China Human Rights Watch and human rights activist, has been under strict control and surveillance. The Chinese Communist authorities have even tried to alienate her relatives and neighbors. Those familiar with the situation say Xu Qin is essentially under house arrest.
Xu Qin, from Gaoyou County, Jiangsu Province, was a member of the “Rose Team” and dedicated herself to human rights affairs in China for a long time. She advocated for the voices of the 709 lawyers and their families, dissidents, and petitioners, leading to severe persecution by the authorities.
On February 9, 2018, Xu Qin was first criminally detained and later wrongly sentenced to four years on charges of “inciting subversion of state power.” She was released from prison on July 11 this year.
An informant named Wang Hao told Epoch Times that despite nearly three months since Xu Qin’s release, she remains under tight surveillance 24 hours a day. Personnel stationed at all intersections around her residence.
These individuals claim to be community staff, providing daily transportation and taking shifts on duty. Wang Hao questioned these stability maintenance personnel, saying, “What you are doing is a crime.” They replied, “We do not know, as long as we are paid by higher authorities, we do as ordered.”
Local national security personnel have also tried to discourage Xu Qin’s relatives and neighbors from interacting with her, attempting to isolate her. “With such monitoring and coercion, it is essentially like being under soft detention,” Wang Hao said. National security even publicly claimed that Xu Qin is a “spy,” forbidding stability maintenance personnel from approaching her to prevent her from “turning them against the government.”
Xu Qin expressed that having so many stability maintenance personnel monitoring her every move 24/7 is more painful than being in prison. “The strict surveillance makes me feel very uncomfortable, as now my family, relatives, and friends refuse to have any contact with me.”
Recently, Xu Qin’s older brother passed away, and she attended the funeral vigil. The stability maintenance personnel monitoring her surrounded her brother’s house, adding significant pressure to her family.
Upon her release, local national security demanded that Xu Qin report her thoughts weekly, prohibited her from answering calls, from giving interviews, and signing documents, demands that she refused.
“They have no authority to demand my signature, it is illegal, without legal basis, I do not accept,” Xu Qin said.
Furthermore, the authorities have halted her retirement pension for July and subsequently reduced it by 500 yuan per month. They also demanded the return of the pension she received during her imprisonment, threatening to stop the pension if she does not comply.
Xu Qin believes that the retirement pension is the result of her labor during her working years, contributed as required. Thus, she should enjoy this right after retirement, as protected by the Social Insurance Law. “But as we are about to enjoy it, they are seizing it, which is simply illegal.” If the pension is stopped, Xu Qin’s husband, who is a farmer with no income, and their livelihood will be in jeopardy.
While in prison, Xu Qin staged three hunger strikes in protest, which resulted in damage to her brain and body, currently undergoing treatment. Nevertheless, she stated that no matter the difficulties, she will continue to fight for her rights.
“This is not just for my benefit; I have always been involved in human rights work. I was imprisoned for standing up for the basic rights of the underprivileged. I have already been in prison; what else do I have to fear?” Xu Qin said.