Chinese Activist Who Called on Xi to Resign Detained on State Security Charges

By Verna Yu March 08, 2020

Prominent Chinese activist and legal academic Xu Zhiyong, who has urged President Xi Jinping to step down over the coronavirus epidemic and other crises, has been held by authorities in secret detention on a state security charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail, his friends said Sunday.

Xu, a former law professor and champion of social equality and the rule of law, was detained Feb. 15. His family found out from Beijing police Saturday, after repeated inquiries, that he has been held on the charge of "inciting subversion of state power," said fellow activist Hu Jia and legal academic Teng Biao.

Prominent Chinese activist and legal academic Xu Zhiyong, who has urged President Xi Jinping to step down over the coronavirus epidemic and other crises, has been held by authorities in secret detention on a state security charge that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail, his friends said Sunday.

Xu, a former law professor and champion of social equality and the rule of law, was detained Feb. 15. His family found out from Beijing police Saturday, after repeated inquiries, that he has been held on the charge of "inciting subversion of state power," said fellow activist Hu Jia and legal academic Teng Biao.

Crack down on free speech

Xu's detention is the latest in a crackdown on free speech as China maneuvers to control the narrative on the growing coronavirus epidemic.

Xu delivered harsh criticism of Xi in an impassioned essay posted online in early February while hiding from the authorities. He blasted the leader for what he said was Xi's inability to cope with crises that included the coronavirus epidemic and the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests.

"You didn't authorize the truth to be released, and the outbreak turned into a national disaster," Xu wrote. "Mr. Xi Jinping, please step down."

Xu predicted his bold words would land him in jail yet again.

"Seven years ago, I wrote you an open letter hoping that you would lead China towards constitutional democracy … but you jailed me for four years," he wrote while in hiding. "Now your people are looking for me everywhere, seeking to throw me into jail again."

"Where are you taking China? Do you know? Towards democracy or dictatorship? Modernization or the Cultural Revolution?" Xu wrote.

On the run

Xu has been on the run from state security police since December, after the police started rounding up participants in a secret gathering in the southeastern city of Xiamen in Fujian province. Xu was among about 20 activists and human rights lawyers attending. Xu has been critical of Xi's policy of maintaining stability at the cost of civil freedom and human rights.

Teng, a longtime friend of Xu who started fighting for migrants' rights with him as Ph.D. graduates in 2003, said Xu's criticism of the government was an exercise of freedom of speech, which is protected by the Chinese constitution.

"But obviously China has no plan to honor this basic freedom ... he is highly likely to be given a heavy sentence," said Teng, who was frequently harassed and detained by the authorities before he moved to the United States in 2014.