The sad story of Doctor Li Wenliang is now well-known. Doctor Li privately warned his fellow doctors of a possible outbreak of a new SARS-like illness on 30 December 2019. Four days later, he was summoned by local police and confessed to “making false comments” and “severely disturb[ing] the social order” under threat of criminal charges. Doctor Li returned to work but fell ill. He died a month later from COVID-19, an infectious disease caused by a SARS coronavirus, which has since killed tens of thousands worldwide. He leaves behind a pregnant wife and a son. In the wake of Doctor Li’s death, criticism of the communist regime’s handling of the coronavirus and demands for freedom of speech began circulating on social media sites and even state media, forcing a rare admission of error. But the regime has also responded to criticism by claiming Doctor Li as a loyal communist, blaming unspecified hostile forces, censoring the media (here, here, here, and here), and rounding up its critics (here, here, and here). For the past week, while denying tests to its own citizens, the regime has been claiming that all new cases of the coronavirus have been imported from abroad. Now, as Chinese social media becomes suspiciously awash with pro-regime postings, it seems history is being rewritten. Therefore, it is more important than ever, to ensure those individuals who have been silenced by the regime are remembered and heard. It is also important to remember that other more open societies have dealt with the coronavirus successfully without resorting to the tactics of the communist regime.
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS
On 10 February 2020, Xu Zhangru, professor of law at Tsinghua University, published a critique of Xi Jinping’s handling of the coronavirus crisis. Already a fierce critic of the regime, he was demoted in March 2019 and banned from teaching, writing, or publishing by the regime. Now, friends of the dissident professor have reported that he was placed under house arrest in mid-February. He has since had his internet cut and his online publications removed.
Shortly after Xu Zhangru’s arrest, his partner, Li Qiaochu, a campaigner for the rights of women and workers, was also detained. It is not known where she is detained or under what charges. She had also criticised the regime’s response to the coronavirus crisis.
POLITICAL PRISONERS
Guo Quan and Xu Zhiyong, activists who served ten and four years respectively for starting political parties, were detained after criticising the regime online. While Zhu Xinin, a dissident writer based in Hubei, was also detained for online comments.
CITIZEN JOURNALISTS
As well as big names, reports of citizen journalists being detained have also started to trickle out of the country. Chen Qiushi, Li Zehua, and Fang Bin all disappeared this February.
DOCTOR JIANG YANYONG
However, if anyone embodies the stubborn resistance of history to rewriting, it is Doctor Jiang Yanyong. During the 2003 SARS outbreak, the retired military doctor published a signed statement revealing that the number of persons infected with SARS was greater than official numbers, forcing the regime to acknowledge the extent of the illness. After he wrote a public letter calling on the regime to recognise the Tiananmen Square protests as an act of patriotism, he was subjected to “reeducation”. Although he was later released, it has recently been reported that the septuagenarian has been under house arrest since March 2019. It is unlikely the regime will lift his house arrest during the current crisis.
LOOK ACROSS THE WATER
A look across the water, however, shows that the persecution of activists is not necessary to control the coronavirus or for any other reason. Taiwan and South Korea have all successfully managed the spread of the coronavirus, while remaining open societies. Unfortunately, where China leads, other regimes will follow—unless there is vocal opposition from the international community. Therefore, it is extremely irresponsible for the World Health Organisation and the US President to praise the communist regime’s handling of the virus while neglecting the ongoing and mounting cost to China’s already strained civil society.
Samuel is a trainee solicitor and postgraduate at Cardiff University. He is active in several U.K.-based organisations campaigning on behalf of Hong Kong and BNOs. His research interests include transitional justice and the rule of law.