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A Chinese journalist known for documenting the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) gruesome human rights violations has been held in custody in the capital for more than three months, a development that rights advocates say highlights the authorities' deepening intolerance toward independent voices.
Journalist Du Bin was seized by police from his Beijing residence in October and later placed under formal arrest in November, individuals familiar with the matter stated. By late January, the file had been passed to prosecutors for review and possible indictment. People close to the situation spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear of retaliation, as reported by The Epoch Times. According to The Epoch Times, he is currently being held at the Shunyi Detention Center. At the time of his initial detention, officers informed relatives he was suspected of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", a charge frequently used against activists and critics. Sources now say investigators may be pursuing a different allegation said to involve references to senior leaders. Precise information about the accusations remains scarce. Authorities have reportedly invoked state-secrecy rules to deny detailed explanations to his lawyer. Supporters argue that Du's long record of probing topics considered off-limits has made him a persistent target of official pressure. More than a decade ago, Du was detained after working on material related to abuse claims emerging from the Masanjia Labour Camp, where former prisoners described harsh treatment, particularly of practitioners of Falun Gong. He later published books in Hong Kong compiling testimonies of torture. Press freedom groups say the renewed action fits a broader national pattern. Reporters Without Borders and Human Rights Watch have both called for Du's release, warning that criminal law is being used to curb peaceful reporting, as cited by The Epoch Times. Du previously contributed photographs to The New York Times but lost the ability to continue after officials withheld work authorisation. One of his notable works gathered eyewitness memories of the 1989 bloodshed centred on Tiananmen Square, a topic subject to sweeping censorship inside China. After an earlier detention, he stated that he remained unafraid, insisting he had only documented real events, as reported by The Epoch Times. (ANI)
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