The formal arrest this week of one of China’s most well-known civil rights advocates underscores how unnerved the country’s new leaders are by any independent, vaguely organised political action – even if it is as mundane as gathering for a dinner party.
Beijing activist Xu Zhiyong, arrested on Thursday, is one of the founders of a loose network of campaigners known as the New Citizens Movement, who, among other things, have called for people to get together on the last Saturday of each month for dinner to discuss China’s constitution and other legal issues.
Xu had been detained last month by Beijing police in the latest blow by Chinese authorities against a beleaguered activist community that has seen a widespread crackdown against peaceful assembly.
Zhang Qingfang, a lawyer for Xu, said his partner learned of Xu’s formal arrest from Beijing’s prosecuting office on Thursday and that the arrest document should be delivered to Xu’s family soon. The Beijing prosecuting office could not immediately provide information on Xu.
Even though our principles and requests are moderate and lawful, the authorities see it as a challenge to the entire social order
Police have accused Xu of “gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place,” a vaguely defined charge that rights groups say has increasingly been used against activists.