PhD student researching Chinese labour movements ‘detained for subversion of state power’

Posts appealing for the release of Fang Ran, a postgraduate at the University of Hong Kong, say he was taken away by agents in the mainland city of Nanning

Fang’s disappearance has heightened concerns among Hong Kong-based academics working on sensitive topics

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Fang Ran was detained last month, according to posts on social media. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:33pm, 1 Sep 2021Updated: 6:35am, 2 Sep 2021

A Hong Kong University PhD student who was researching Chinese labour movements has reportedly been detained on the mainland and accused of incitement to subvert state power.

The news of Fang Ran’s disappearance broke on Wednesday after Fang Jianzhong, who said he was the student’s father, posted a plea for his son to be freed on social media.

He wrote that the 26-year-old had been taken away by agents from the Ministry of State Security in his hometown of Nanning in Guangxi on August 26.

The posts said the younger Fan had been placed under residential surveillance at a designated location.

“I’m very shocked because Fang Ran is not a criminal who is capable of causing damage to the party. But rather, a young man born with a purpose,” the message said, adding that the student has been a Communist Party member since 2013.

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