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| China to Expel Swedish Human Rights Advocate | China to Expel Swedish Human Rights Advocate |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| BEIJING — Peter Jesper Dahlin, a human rights activist from Sweden detained this month in Beijing on charges of violating national security laws, was to be expelled from China on Monday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. | |
| “Under questioning,” the ministry said in an emailed statement, Mr. Dahlin had made “a full and frank confession.” The statement said Mr. Dahlin was suspected of “funding criminal activities harmful to China’s national security.” | “Under questioning,” the ministry said in an emailed statement, Mr. Dahlin had made “a full and frank confession.” The statement said Mr. Dahlin was suspected of “funding criminal activities harmful to China’s national security.” |
| “Based on China’s relevant laws, China will expel him on Jan. 25,” the ministry statement said. | “Based on China’s relevant laws, China will expel him on Jan. 25,” the ministry statement said. |
| Margot Wallstrom, the Swedish minister for foreign affairs, said in an emailed statement that she welcomed “that Peter Dahlin has been released and can be reunited with his family in Sweden.” | |
| Mr. Dahlin’s abrupt expulsion from China followed rising concern from Western governments after he was shown on Chinese television confessing to misdeeds. He was detained the first week of January while trying to leave China for Thailand. | Mr. Dahlin’s abrupt expulsion from China followed rising concern from Western governments after he was shown on Chinese television confessing to misdeeds. He was detained the first week of January while trying to leave China for Thailand. |
| In response to a question about Mr. Dahlin’s case and the Chinese government’s refusal to renew the visa of a French journalist at the end of 2015, the European Union’s chief representative in China, Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, said last week that it could be an “extremely worrying trend.” | In response to a question about Mr. Dahlin’s case and the Chinese government’s refusal to renew the visa of a French journalist at the end of 2015, the European Union’s chief representative in China, Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, said last week that it could be an “extremely worrying trend.” |
| Mr. Dahlin, 35, appeared to be the sole foreigner detained by the police since July as part of the Chinese government’s campaign aimed at human rights lawyers and advocates, who were accused of using legal cases as vehicles for undermining social order and the Communist Party’s authority. | Mr. Dahlin, 35, appeared to be the sole foreigner detained by the police since July as part of the Chinese government’s campaign aimed at human rights lawyers and advocates, who were accused of using legal cases as vehicles for undermining social order and the Communist Party’s authority. |
| At least 11 of the legal workers and rights advocates were arrested this month on accusations of subversion or inciting subversion — serious charges usually used to impose long sentences on dissidents. | At least 11 of the legal workers and rights advocates were arrested this month on accusations of subversion or inciting subversion — serious charges usually used to impose long sentences on dissidents. |
| Mr. Dahlin has escaped that fate. But the Chinese government has already used his case to present the arrested lawyers as tools of foreign forces seeking to subvert the Communist Party. Mr. Dahlin worked in Beijing as a founder of the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group, which supported lawyers and activists challenging violations of citizens’ legal rights. | Mr. Dahlin has escaped that fate. But the Chinese government has already used his case to present the arrested lawyers as tools of foreign forces seeking to subvert the Communist Party. Mr. Dahlin worked in Beijing as a founder of the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group, which supported lawyers and activists challenging violations of citizens’ legal rights. |
| “Western anti-China forces had planted Dahlin and some other people in China to gather negative information for anti-China purposes, such as smear campaigns,” Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said last week. | “Western anti-China forces had planted Dahlin and some other people in China to gather negative information for anti-China purposes, such as smear campaigns,” Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said last week. |
| The agency quoted Mr. Dahlin as saying, “I need to offer my deep apologies for hurting the Chinese government and the Chinese people.” | The agency quoted Mr. Dahlin as saying, “I need to offer my deep apologies for hurting the Chinese government and the Chinese people.” |
| Michael Caster, who worked with Mr. Dahlin at the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group, said on Monday that Mr. Dahlin had made the confession “under duress in effectively secret detention while being denied access to legal representation.” | Michael Caster, who worked with Mr. Dahlin at the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group, said on Monday that Mr. Dahlin had made the confession “under duress in effectively secret detention while being denied access to legal representation.” |
| Mr. Dahlin’s release is a great relief, Mr. Caster said. But, he added, “many members of the Chinese human rights community whom Peter sought to support remain in detention for nothing more than working to promote and protect the rights of all Chinese citizens.” |