Anxious authorities crack down on critics ahead of party congress
Anxious authorities round up, put under house arrest scores of activists, dissidents
Mainland authorities have stepped up harassment of government critics ahead of the Communist Party's upcoming 18th national congress, warning them against speaking out during the sensitive leadership reshuffle.
Activists say authorities, anxious about any social unrest that could disrupt a smooth handover of power, are using every means at their disposal to silence dissidents ahead of the once-in-a-decade event. The congress is set for November 8 in Beijing.
Scores of activists, rights lawyers, dissident writers, liberal intellectuals and petitioners seeking to air grievances have been detained, put under house arrest or placed under surveillance.
The Ministry of Public Security did not respond to requests for comment, but such round-ups are common before major events like the party congress, at which most top leadership posts are expected to change hands.
The central government's website quoted Justice Minister Wu Aiying on Tuesday urging law enforcement authorities to spare no effort in "maintaining social stability to foster a safe, stable and harmonious environment for a triumphant 18th party congress".
Legal scholar and civil rights activist Xu Zhiyong said on his Twitter account that seven security agents had been preventing him from leaving his home since last Thursday.