More than 20 university professors across China have called for Shanghai to stop “excessive pandemic prevention”, arguing that some policies implemented during the city’s lockdown contradicted the rule of law. The academics, led by Tong Zhiwei , a professor of constitutional studies at Shanghai’s East China University of Political Science and Law, made the call in a letter published online on Sunday. The letter circulated on social media for a number of hours before it was censored. Tong’s Weibo account, which had more than 400,000 followers, was also suspended. In the letter, Tong, who is a Communist Party member, wrote that the consequences of the pandemic restrictions were serious and could lead to “some kind of legal disaster”. He said that, for example, there was no law to support the demands of neighbourhood staff and police who in one viral video ordered a whole building of people into centralised quarantine because of one positive case. Furthermore, he said the local government had no right to ask residents to give up their keys, so that medical staff could enter their flats for disinfection. The right to residency was protected by the constitution, he said, and illegal searches or entrance was prohibited. “Pandemic prevention needs to be balanced with ensuring people’s rights and freedoms,” he wrote. “Local governments and officials need to act strictly according to the constitution and laws, and cannot destroy the rule of law for convenience.” Tong confirmed with the South China Morning Post that he had written the letter, but declined to comment due to the sensitivity of the matter. In the past, Tong was known for his criticism of Bo Xilai , the former party chief of Chongqing who was jailed for life for corruption in 2013. In 2012, at a conference, Tong called Bo’s “Chongqing Model” – a sweeping campaign against organised crime and increased security and police presence in the city – “red populism in nature”. Tong was also active online during the Wuhan lockdown in 2020, using his influence on Weibo to share posts of locals appealing for medical help. Shanghai has been in a strict lockdown for more than a month. During this period, members of the public have been extremely vocal about inconveniences caused by the restrictions and chaotic management, sometimes in life-and-death situations. In March, a Shanghai nurse died of asthma after her own hospital denied her entry, citing Covid-19 prevention measures. And last month, a senior citizen was mistaken for dead by staff at an aged care centre and sent to the morgue. There have been some discussions about whether pandemic measures have been excessive, but top leaders have repeatedly stressed the importance of adhering to the “dynamic zero-Covid” policy.
