Let a hundred flowers bloom. These infamous words by Mao Zedong represent one of the rare moments in history where Chinese citizens openly criticised their government. The consequence being - a purge. With the outbreak of Coronavirus, history once again tests this statement as dissenting voices demand a right they always knew they wanted: the right to freedom of expression.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN CHINA

Journalists are disappearing. Dissenting voices are being silenced. The Chinese government is shaping the narrative of the state's response to the Coronavirus outbreak - a narrative that paints China in the best light possible.

The right to Freedom of Expression is enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 35 of China's own constitution. Not only is China a signatory to the UDHR, it was also a key player in the drafting of it. Despite notoriously violating this right for decades, China has recently gained international scrutiny for having delayed the reporting of the Coronavirus outbreak, which originated in Wuhan. Criticism flows from the point that early, more transparent reporting of the virus could have saved hundreds of lives and allowed the virus to be contained more rapidly. Yet, China continues to censor content inconsistent with the narrative of control and stability it aims to create.

WHEN A WHISTLEBLOWER BECAME THE VOICE OF A NATION

Doctor Li Wenliang, one of the first whistle blowers of the virus, has become the face of the Freedom of Expression Movement in China. Police authorities arrested him after he sent a message on his medical school group chat, warning about a strange new virus he said resembled SARS. The virus was COVID-19. Detained for "spreading false rumours"- the punishment of which carries a sentence of up to five years in China- Li was forced to sign a document saying he had "severely disturbed social order." On the 7th of February, Li died from the very virus he blew the whistle on.

Li's death sparked a national outcry, with the hashtag #IWantFreedomOfSpeech being shared over 1.8 million times on Weibo (a Chinese social media platform) before it was censored. Citizens also posted videos of the Les Misérables song "Do You Hear the People Sing", along with videos of citizens whistling in their balconies to commemorate Li. Sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter have been blocked in China for many years but Chinese citizens are frequently able to create digital archives, using VPN to bypass censorship and preserve deleted videos on these platforms. But, as authorities tighten censorship controls, dissidents face an even greater risk to their lives.

A MOMENT OR A MOVEMENT?

This is not the first time journalists and citizens have attempted to climb over the Great Firewall of China. The difference this time is that more people are willing to risk their lives in the name of freedom of expression. Though as dissent increases, so does censorship. With the coronavirus outbreak rising in February, WeChat (a Chinese app) censored 384 keywords relating to its discussion. Even the words "Wuhan" and "Hubei", the cities where the epidemic originated, were restricted in efforts to limit public dissent. Social media users on WeChat, have used creative means to bypass censorship. From replacing censored words with emojis to inventing new languages. One user even went as far as to insert censored content into the opening crawl of Star Wars.

A fresh wave of journalism is emerging, with explosive articles criticising the state for downplaying the crisis in the early days as well as exposing the lack of medical supplies available in hospitals. Citizens are becoming increasingly distrustful of the information they receive from domestic outlets but are unable to access foreign news platforms due to tight censorship. In a time of global panic and uncertainty about Coronavirus, the Chinese people deserve to have accurate information, unhampered by state authorities. Purging citizens for sharing videos of how the outbreak is affecting China is a violation of international law. 

As a hundred flowers bloom in dissent of a state created narrative, all eyes are on China, all asking the same question: Do you hear the people sing?

Ayesha is a LLB student at the University of Leeds. As an aspiring barrister, she enjoys advocacy and has spoken at platforms including Tedx and GESF. She has a key interest in both Public and International law. She is also founder of a student-led initiative 'COSMOS' that organises projects to promote the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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