State media accuses detained labour activists of litany of offences
Xinhua publishes lengthy article claiming seven figures who helped protect workers’ interests in Guangdong ran illegal operations and had unauthorised help from overseas
Seven leading Guangdong labour rights activists detained by provincial police earlier this month have been accused by state media of operating illegal organisations with overseas donations, improperly handling worker disputes and severely disturbing social order.
The claims were made in an article nearly 6,000 words long and published by Xinhua on Tuesday night.
It alleged professional and personal flaws in the activists, citing an investigation by the police.
Critics described the article as a “smear campaign” aimed at justifying mainland authorities’ crackdown against labour rights defenders.
The bulk of the accusations targeted Zeng Feiyang, the director of the Guangdong Panyu Migrant Worker Centre. Zeng is known as most influential workers’ rights activist on the mainland and was placed under criminal detention for “gathering a crowd and disturbing public order” early this month.
Around the same time, the authorities detained Zhu Xiaomei, He Xiaobo, Meng Han, Peng Jiayong, Deng Xiaoming and Tang Huanxing.