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SCMP Reporter

SHANGHAI human rights activist Yang Zhou was taken away again by police last night as the government continued its harassment of dissidents.

  Mr Yang was again summoned to his neighbourhood police station last night, according to his wife Li Guoping.

  ''It's like reporting to work every night now,'' Ms Li said.

  It was Mr Yang's third detention in the past two days. The 50-year-old activist was only released yesterday morning after he was detained for 12 hours by the police.

  Speaking just hours before his detention, Mr Yang said about 10 officers descended on his home on Saturday when another dissident, Li Gaotao, visited him. Both were taken to the local police station. Mr Li was released after six hours, but Mr Yang was held until 9am.

  ''They are afraid I have contacts'' with other people, Mr Yang said. ''This is a silent warning.''   In Beijing, activist Xin Hong was released yesterday afternoon but was told she would have to report her activities to police. Sources said she had to report to the local police station today.

  Police took Ms Xin from her home yesterday evening, after she wrote a letter to the national legislature supporting direct elections and human rights. She had also had contact with foreign reporters in recent days.

  The People's Daily ran a front-page editorial calling for stability as the basis of continued economic and social development.

  ''We must further strengthen peace and unity in our political situation [and] maintain social stability,'' it said.

  As part of surveillance in Beijing, the family of a liberal intellectual said a large van was parked outside their home yesterday and visitors were being kept away for a second day.

  Xu Liangying, a noted scientist who issued a human rights appeal timed for Mr Christopher's visit, said two policemen were stationed outside his apartment door and others in the compound to keep him from leaving.

  ''It's as if I've been put under house arrest. This is a joke,'' Mr Xu said.

  He said the measures were prompted by fears he would meet with Mr Christopher. He said there never had been any plans for such a meeting, but after the treatment he has received, he now wishes he could see Christopher.

  He Xu said his relatives were told not to try to visit until Wednesday.

  In the past fortnight, authorities have detained more than 17 activists.

  Other dissidents left Beijing, apparently to escape police harassment.

  Top student leader Wang Dan called his family from the southern coastal city of Xiamen on Saturday evening, but gave few details of his trip or plans. He left Beijing with two other activists.

  China's most famous dissident, Wei Jingsheng, called his secretary yesterday morning to say he was all right.

  Sources previously had said he was heading for the port city of Dalian.

  In Shanghai, activist Bao Ge was questioned by two Public Security Ministry officials yesterday about Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa's visit to China this Saturday.

  ''They were very polite. They wanted to know what we would do when Hosokawa visits China. They fear that we can again raise the issue of war reparation when the Prime Minister is here,'' Mr Bao said.

  ''They told me they will keep on visiting me like this before the Hosokawa visit,'' he said.



Rights activist back in custody