China: Beijing Police Use Daughter to Hunt Down Petitioner

Tomorrow, Beijing will celebrate the 60th anniversary of communist rule over China. Now a local petitioner has revealed the new lows authorities are resorting to in their efforts to ensure security.

Chinese authorities employ many methods to stop petitioners from appealing their grievances. For Beijing petitioner Zhang Shufeng, the latest tactic used against her was shear trickery.

Last week, Zhang received a text message on her phone. The sender purported to be a nurse telling her she was needed at the hospital because her daughter may have contracted the H1N1 virus.

Zhang, who has been in hiding from police, did not go to the hospital, but instead sent a message to her daughter. Two hours later, police had tracked her down and arrived at her hiding place.

[Zhang Shufeng, Beijing Petitioner]:
“I think they are just despicable, resorting to this method to trick me. As soon as I sent my daughter a message, they were able to find where I was.”

Just the day before, police had tried to kidnap Zhang’s 14-year-old daughter in an attempt to lure her out.

[Zhang Shufeng, Beijing Petitioner]:
“My child is only a minor, what are they trying to do by taking her away? They dragged her and pushed down on her head. They can be so cruel to a child, I really feel they are not human.”

For weeks, Beijing police have been monitoring petitioners as part of the security measures for the October 1st celebrations. Long-time petitioners like Ms. Zhang who persist in having their legal disputes resolved have become an embarrassment for local authorities. As a result of harassment, petitioners are often forced into hiding to escape illegal arrest and harsh sentencing.

In 2007, Zhang was sentenced to one year of re-education through labor. She’s been petitioning since 2001 after her husband was crippled by teachers at her daughter’s school.

Zhang told NTD that police have warned her not to leave her house before October 10—or she’ll be sentenced to two more years of labor.

(NTDTV)