Scores of government critics, lawyers, activists, bloggers, artists and “netizens” have been arrested since February, amid government fears of a “Jasmine Revolution” inspired by events in the Middle East and North Africa. Amnesty International profiles some of the new generation of Chinese activists caught in the sweep.
Liang Haiyi aka Tiny: Early victim of the “Jasmine Revolution” crackdown
Status: In detention on suspicion of “subversion of state power”
In her own words: “When the country cannot protect a beggar, it cannot protect the emperor!
Liang Haiyi was reportedly taken away by police on 19 February in the northern Chinese city of Harbin for sharing videos and information about the ”Jasmine Revolution” on the internet. Her lawyer confirmed she was detained on suspicion of “subversion of state power”.
Chinese “netizens” have since dubbed her the “Southern Woman Martyr”, as supposedly the first activist to be arrested as part of the government’s crackdown on dissent inspired by regime change in the Middle East and North Africa.
Liang Haiyi is not a seasoned dissident but an active “netizen” – tweeting and microblogging snippets of information about Chinese politics on Twitter and domestic microblog QQ under the screen name Miaoxiao, meaning ‘Tiny’.
According to the Apple Daily, she demonstrated political and social awareness early on, joining the communist youth cadres, leading a university student union in her native province of Guangdong and receiving local awards for her community contributions.
By 2011 she was a wife and mother in the northern city of Harbin where, inspired by regime change in Tunisia, she reposted information from dissident websites hosted outside China – particularly www.boxun.com – about plans for “Jasmine Revolution” protests in Chinese cities.
The exiled leader of the 1989 Tiananmen student protests Wang Dan has paid tribute to Liang Haiyi on his Facebook page, saying “she has had more courage than we had”, and that political repression is worse now in China than in his day.
Liang Haiyi’s Twitter page has now been deactivated but her QQ page still bears links to articles and videos about the toppling of President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, and about controversial topics in Chinese society, along with her own comments and views.
In her own words:
“Sagittarian woman, simple, straightforward and trusting; outspoken and easily offends people. She is in great need of your respect, understanding and encouragement; support her idealistic values and struggle against a cynical society.”
Liang Haiyi’s blog has not been updated since the last message posted at 00:51 on 19 February 2011, sharing a video which can no longer be viewed and posted the sentence: “How far away are Nazis from us? Would dictatorship reappear in Germany? Secondary school teachers did a little test and got an alarming answer that history can be repeated so easily, and therefore pay a painful price.”
More profiles of China’s “Jasmine” activists here…
No Replies to "China arrested 'Jasmine' activists"