China arrested or prosecuted over 2.4 million people for national security offences last year
- In Reports
- 01:34 PM, Mar 12, 2024
- Myind Staff
During the National People's Congress, chief prosecutor Ying Yong disclosed that Chinese authorities arrested 726,000 individuals last year amidst a crackdown on crimes associated with "hostile foreign forces." This marked a significant increase of 47.1 percent compared to the previous year.
Yong stated that the authorities formally prosecuted 1.688 million individuals last year, indicating a significant increase of 17.3 percent. He further mentioned that over 2.4 million people were "arrested or prosecuted" last year for offences related to "national security," although he refrained from providing a detailed breakdown for each category.
Chinese authorities have consistently applied national security charges against journalists, human rights lawyers, and activists, often based on online content they have shared, employing a broad interpretation of state secrets.
Ying's annual work report on behalf of the Supreme People's Procuratorate highlighted that last year's "strike hard" campaign primarily focused on crimes associated with "hostile foreign forces," including activities related to infiltration, sabotage, incitement, and separatism.
The ruling Communist Party attributes the protests that swept across the nation in November 2022, known as the "white paper" protests, to "hostile foreign forces." During these demonstrations, individuals expressed their frustration and grievances by holding up blank sheets of paper, symbolising the constraints on their freedom of expression, particularly regarding criticism of Xi Jinping's three-year zero-Covid policy.
The Party asserted that foreign entities have played a role in orchestrating mass demonstrations in Hong Kong against national security legislation, patriotic education, and extradition to mainland China in recent years.
The involvement of foreign entities in orchestrating mass demonstrations in Hong Kong against various issues such as national security legislation, patriotic education, and extradition to mainland China has been a matter of concern for the ruling Communist Party.
These protests, often marked by symbolic acts like the "white paper" protests, reflect the underlying tensions surrounding freedom of expression and political dissent in the region. As the Party continues to attribute such protests to external influences, the situation underscores broader geopolitical dynamics and the complexities of governance in Hong Kong.
Image source: FirstPost
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