On April 27, a group of six retirees and petitioners from Shanghai, including Guo Guoping, went to the National Petition Bureau in Beijing to voice their grievances. However, they were unable to register as the bureau was already full by 3:30 pm. Consequently, they turned to Zhongnanhai to express their demands. Currently, the six individuals have been sent back to Shanghai, with one person known to have been detained.
These petitioners from Shanghai, including Guo Guoping, Liu Dongbao, Miao Heping, Chen Haidong, Xi Meifang, and Xiang Lianxiu, arrived at the National Petition Bureau at 3:40 pm on April 27. However, they were unable to enter as the reception had reached its maximum capacity by 3:30 pm.
Guo Guoping told reporters that due to his poor health condition and inability to queue for long periods, they had to take a different route to Zhongnanhai. Their demands revolve around the Chinese government adhering to international conventions, respecting the human rights of Chinese citizens, and addressing long-standing petition issues that have been delayed.
Despite their efforts, the six individuals were taken away by police for identity checks in front of Zhongnanhai and were subsequently returned to Shanghai the following day.
On April 29, a total of 39 petitioners who were escorted back to Shanghai for stability reasons were on the train from Beijing to Shanghai, including individuals like Zheng Jianming from Putuo District, Lu Fuzhong from Jing’an District, and Lv Longzhen.
The organizer of the “Shanghai Black Prison List,” Song Jiahong, commented on this situation, mentioning that for those petitioners who received no response in Shanghai, Beijing represents hope. Despite some labeling the act of going to Zhongnanhai as “non-petition,” historically, there have been numerous instances of directly reaching out to central leadership with petitions, which only illustrates the desperate situation. Guo Guoping, a teacher battling cancer, displays unwavering resilience in defending his rights, serving as an inspiration for other petitioners.
Guo Guoping has since returned home. He mentioned that he was not detained this time due to instructions from the local police station chief, Ma Jijun, stating that, based on directives from the municipal bureau, all six individuals who participated in the non-petition were criminally detained for a month except for him. The chief further accused Guo of first causing trouble by leaking information to foreign media, thus creating pressure that made it difficult for them to handle his case.
Due to international media coverage and monitoring, the six individuals who approached Zhongnanhai have gradually been released, with only Liu Dongbao remaining in criminal detention at present.