Two elderly Beijing women who applied to demonstrate during the Olympics at one of the approved 'protest parks' had been sentenced to 're-education through labour', it was revealed yesterday.
Wu Dianyuan, 79, and Wang Xiuying, 77 - who were evicted from their Beijing homes in 2001 - applied five times to demonstrate in the zones since the Games began, the US-based group Human Rights in China said.
But their persistence in airing their grievances so irked the authorities that they were accused of 'disturbing the public order' and then ordered to serve one-year terms of re-education in labour camps.
Quoting Mrs Wu's son, Li Xuehui, the group said the sentences were meted out by the Public Security Bureau in Beijing and were backdated to start at the end of July.
Then officials from Beijing's municipal government ruled that the two former neighbours would not have to serve their punishment in a labour re-education camp as long as they behaved - but said restrictions would be placed on their movements. Wu and Wang were evicted from their homes to make way for a development project and have protested ever since, Human Rights in China said.
The group's report added to the protest zones controversy that has dogged the Beijing Games organisers (Bocog) and the International Olympic Committee since the Olympics began 13 days ago.
Under immense pressure from foreign media representatives covering the Games, the government revealed on Monday that 77 applications had been made - but all were refused.