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| China Arrests Activist Who Assisted in Daring 2012 Escape | China Arrests Activist Who Assisted in Daring 2012 Escape |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BEIJING — Guo Yushan, a young activist who helped the prominent rights advocate Chen Guangcheng flee house arrest in 2012, has been arrested and charged with operating an illegal business, according to a Beijing police notice posted online on Tuesday by Mr. Guo’s wife, Pan Haixia. | BEIJING — Guo Yushan, a young activist who helped the prominent rights advocate Chen Guangcheng flee house arrest in 2012, has been arrested and charged with operating an illegal business, according to a Beijing police notice posted online on Tuesday by Mr. Guo’s wife, Pan Haixia. |
| Mr. Guo was a co-founder of the Transition Institute, a social advocacy organization that was shut down by the authorities in 2013 and whose senior members have come under increased scrutiny by officials, especially after the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong this fall. | Mr. Guo was a co-founder of the Transition Institute, a social advocacy organization that was shut down by the authorities in 2013 and whose senior members have come under increased scrutiny by officials, especially after the pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong this fall. |
| He and the institute also had close ties to Xu Zhiyong, a recently imprisoned rights lawyer who had been a leader of another activist group, the New Citizens Movement. | He and the institute also had close ties to Xu Zhiyong, a recently imprisoned rights lawyer who had been a leader of another activist group, the New Citizens Movement. |
| Mr. Guo was detained by the police in October and is being held in Beijing. The notice announcing his arrest to his family was issued by the police on Saturday. It did not give any further details about the charge. | Mr. Guo was detained by the police in October and is being held in Beijing. The notice announcing his arrest to his family was issued by the police on Saturday. It did not give any further details about the charge. |
| Chinese officials are stepping up the use of the “illegal business” accusation to silence liberal voices. Last month, a Beijing district court sentenced the maker of a documentary on the Chinese Constitution, Shen Yongping, to a year in prison on the same charge. Mr. Shen’s lawyer called the charge an outrage and said Mr. Shen had not made the film for profit. It had been posted online and was available as a free download. | |
| Xi Jinping, the Chinese president and leader of the Communist Party, has taken a tough line against political and social dissent, and many rights advocates have been detained and arrested since he took power in November 2012. His push of a leftist ideology with anti-Western overtones has also emboldened conservatives to go on the attack against liberal voices. | Xi Jinping, the Chinese president and leader of the Communist Party, has taken a tough line against political and social dissent, and many rights advocates have been detained and arrested since he took power in November 2012. His push of a leftist ideology with anti-Western overtones has also emboldened conservatives to go on the attack against liberal voices. |
| Mr. Guo has no lawyer at the moment because his lawyer, Xia Lin, was detained by officials in November, said Hu Jia, a rights activist who is a friend of Mr. Guo’s. Mr. Xia had also been representing Pu Zhiqiang, a well-known rights lawyer now in official custody who was charged in June with “creating a public disturbance.” Mr. Pu had attended a gathering in May at a scholar’s home in Beijing to honor the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. | Mr. Guo has no lawyer at the moment because his lawyer, Xia Lin, was detained by officials in November, said Hu Jia, a rights activist who is a friend of Mr. Guo’s. Mr. Xia had also been representing Pu Zhiqiang, a well-known rights lawyer now in official custody who was charged in June with “creating a public disturbance.” Mr. Pu had attended a gathering in May at a scholar’s home in Beijing to honor the victims of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989. |
| In April 2012, Mr. Chen, who is blind, was aided by other rights advocates in an escape from police officers who were keeping him and his family under house arrest in his hometown, in the Linyi area of Shandong Province. He managed to make his way to the United States Embassy in Beijing, setting off a brief period of high diplomatic tension between America and China. | In April 2012, Mr. Chen, who is blind, was aided by other rights advocates in an escape from police officers who were keeping him and his family under house arrest in his hometown, in the Linyi area of Shandong Province. He managed to make his way to the United States Embassy in Beijing, setting off a brief period of high diplomatic tension between America and China. |
| Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the American secretary of state, negotiated with Chinese officials to allow Mr. Chen to go to New York. He has remained in the United States, and his relatives say they are still being harassed by the police in his hometown. | Hillary Rodham Clinton, then the American secretary of state, negotiated with Chinese officials to allow Mr. Chen to go to New York. He has remained in the United States, and his relatives say they are still being harassed by the police in his hometown. |