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Chinese labour activist He Xiaobo released on bail Chinese labour activist He Xiaobo released on bail
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One of China’s most prominent labour activists has been released on bail more than four months after being seized by police outside his home in a region known as the “factory of the world”. He Xiaobo, a 42-year-old former migrant worker, was known for campaigning on behalf of workers who had been injured or maimed while working in the manufacturing heartlands of Guangdong province. Until his detention he had run a group called the Nanfeiyan Social Work Service Centre in the southern city of Foshan, where he lived with his wife, Yang Min, and baby daughter. On 3 December, he was taken into custody during what activists called an unprecedented government attack on China’s labour movement. On Friday, the activist announced his conditional release by way of a brief audio message posted online by the advocacy group China Labour Bulletin. “Hello everyone. This is He Xiaobo. I have just arrived home. Thanks to you all for paying attention to me. Thanks for your help. I hope one day we can all meet so I can thank you all in person,” he said. Yang, who has been living under police surveillance since her husband was taken, confirmed his release but declined to discuss the situation further. He’s lawyer, Shang Manqing, said it was not clear what would happen to his client after his release but said he had instructed the activist to “keep a low profile”. He is facing accusations of embezzlement, charges supporters believe were concocted by authorities in order to silence the activist. Campaigners believe the police campaign against labour activists such as He is designed to crush workers’ dissent at a time of growing unrest caused in part by the slowing economy. “Domestically, problems and risks that have been building up over the years are becoming more evident,” the prime minister, Li Keqiang, admitted last month in an address to China’s rubber-stamp parliament.In recent years, many factories in Guangdong have closed because of the downturn or moved their operations into south and south-east Asia, where costs are lower. China Labour Bulletin, which tracks worker unrest, reported a dramatic rise in protests and strikes in late 2015 as a result of the slump. One of China’s most prominent labour activists has been released on bail more than four months after being seized by police outside his home in a region known as the “factory of the world”. He Xiaobo, a 42-year-old former migrant worker, was known for campaigning on behalf of workers who had been injured or maimed while working in the manufacturing heartlands of Guangdong province. Until his detention he had run a group called the Nanfeiyan Social Work Service Centre in the southern city of Foshan, where he lived with his wife, Yang Min, and baby daughter. On 3 December, he was taken into custody during what activists called an unprecedented government attack on China’s labour movement. On Friday, the activist announced his conditional release by way of a brief audio message posted online by the advocacy group China Labour Bulletin. “Hello everyone. This is He Xiaobo. I have just arrived home. Thanks to you all for paying attention to me. Thanks for your help. I hope one day we can all meet so I can thank you all in person,” he said. Yang, who has been living under police surveillance since her husband was taken, confirmed his release but declined to discuss the situation further. He’s lawyer, Shang Manqing, said it was not clear what would happen to his client after his release but said he had instructed the activist to keep a low profile. He is facing accusations of embezzlement, charges supporters believe were concocted by authorities in order to silence the activist. Campaigners believe the police clampdown against labour activists such as He is designed to crush workers’ dissent at a time of growing unrest caused in part by the slowing economy. “Domestically, problems and risks that have been building up over the years are becoming more evident,” the prime minister, Li Keqiang, admitted last month in an address to China’s parliament.In recent years, many factories in Guangdong have closed because of the downturn or moved their operations into south and south-east Asia, where costs are lower. China Labour Bulletin, which tracks worker unrest, reported a dramatic rise in protests and strikes in late 2015 as a result of the slump.
Others see the clampdown as part of a broader offensive against government opponents that has gathered pace since Xi Jinping became Communist party chief in 2012. Those targeted include academics, journalists, lawyers and women’s rights campaigners. China Labour Bulletin said two other labour activists who were detained during December’s roundup remained in custody. Zeng Feiyang and Meng Han face charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order”. Zhu Xiaomei, a fourth activist, was released on bail in February. In a statement, CLB said: “The need for civil society labour organisations remains as pressing as ever in the Guangzhou region as factories continue to close down and or relocate without giving employees the compensation, social insurance contributions and other benefits they are legally entitled to.”Additional reporting by Christy YaoOthers see the clampdown as part of a broader offensive against government opponents that has gathered pace since Xi Jinping became Communist party chief in 2012. Those targeted include academics, journalists, lawyers and women’s rights campaigners. China Labour Bulletin said two other labour activists who were detained during December’s roundup remained in custody. Zeng Feiyang and Meng Han face charges of “gathering a crowd to disrupt social order”. Zhu Xiaomei, a fourth activist, was released on bail in February. In a statement, CLB said: “The need for civil society labour organisations remains as pressing as ever in the Guangzhou region as factories continue to close down and or relocate without giving employees the compensation, social insurance contributions and other benefits they are legally entitled to.”Additional reporting by Christy Yao