The arrests occurred during the months of December and January for disturbance of public order. Among the detainees there are journalists, artists, writers or teachers.
The organization Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) denounced this Tuesday the arrest of more than 20 people who participated, on November 27, in the protests against the “covid zero” policy in Beijing.
The arrests occurred during the months of December and January, under the charge of “disturbing public order”, according to an announcement made by the organization for the defense of human rights through the social network Twitter.
Among the detainees there are journalists, artists, writers or teachers, denounced the same source.
“We were at the police station for 24 hours until they released us.. But just when we thought the matter was settled, on December 18, the police started arresting people. At least four friends of mine have disappeared. Their mothers are looking for them because they want to know where they were taken,” said Zhi Xin, a young woman who participated in the protests, quoted by the organization.
Widespread popular discontent across China over the “covid zero” policy led to peaceful protests and vigils in cities including Beijing and Shanghai in late November. The protesters demonstrated his repudiation of the restrictions then in force and showed blank pagesin a criticism of the censorship that prevails in the press and social networks in the country.
You protests broke out after the death of 10 people, in a fire in a locked building in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi. In addition to showing their discontent with the “zero covid” policy, the protesters demanded the resignation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Demonstrations against the “Covid Zero” policy intensify in China: “Xi Jinping, get out!”
Some netizens also posted texts on the WeChat social network that consisted solely of words such as “good,” “yes,” or “okay,” protesting the systematic removal of content critical of the authorities’ actions.
The authorities reacted by increasing police deployments and isolating the areas where the protests were taking place. Since then, some testimonies on social networks have denounced the arrest of protesters.
Shortly after the protests, the authorities began to dismantle the “zero covid” policy, leading to an unprecedented wave of infections and a public health crisis in the country.
Source: Observadora
