cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/41884998
Torture and severe ill-treatment are rampant within the Liuzhi system. Indeed, the system of enforced disappearances and incommunicado, solitary confinement, detention for up to six months is defined as torture in and of itself under international law.
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Official statistics from the Central Commission on Discipline Inspection (CCDI) show a rapid increase in the number of disciplinary investigations, punishments and incommunicado detentions in 2024. Comparative data from 2018 to 2024 shows that after remaining stable over the course of the years, the number of disciplinary investigations grew by 40% during 2024.
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CCDI - also known under its state front National Commission of Supervision (NCS) - is the Chinese Communist Party police force or “disciplinary watchdog”. It has the power to take people off the streets and hold them incommunicado at secret locations for up to 6 months (or even more). Its operations are not part of the formal legal system in any way. Once inside Liuzhi, there is no external oversight, no right to access legal counsel, no external appeal body, and no way to communicate with the outside world. Regulations do not oblige the CCDI to inform families of target’s whereabouts or that they’ve even been taken at all.
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Recent public reporting cites at least five entrepreneurs known to have been taken into the system in mid-August alone.
Pi Yu (皮宇), director and general manager of Dameng Data, was placed into Liuzhi sometime before the company announced it on August 19. On August 21, the same company announced another senior manager, Chen Wen (陈文), had also taken.
Liu Jiande (刘建德), director and ultimate beneficial owner of Kesi Technology, was placed into Liuzhi, according to information provided to the company by his family on August 19.
Yue Yamei (岳亚梅), general manager of Xiling Information, was placed into Liuzhi by the supervisory commission in Alashankou on August 20.
Chen Baixiao (陈柏校), chairman of Guotai Environmental Protection, was placed into Liuzhi by the supervisory commission in Linping District, Hangzhou, on August 17.
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Official CCDI data from 2023 and 2024 suggest a just above 4% average of all investigations – 4.15% in 2023 and 4.33% in 2024 – included the use of Liuzhi. Insufficient disaggregated data is available to make any firm estimates for separate target categories, such as the entrepreneurial sector.
However, if official CCDI data states at least 171,000 individuals were effectively sanctioned (e.g. following investigation), it stands to reason that the number of entrepreneurs placed in Liuzhi during 2024 likely runs in the upper thousands.
Death by Liuzhi
The Jianghan District Supervisory Commission in Wuhan placed Wang Linpeng (汪林朋), chairman of Easyhome, into Liuzhi on April 17.
On July 23, Wang was released from Liuzhi, ‘pending investigation’.
On July 27, Wang jumped to his death.
Similar cases include Zeng Yuzhou (曾育周), founder of L&D Home, who died on July 17; Liu Wenchao (刘文超) of Xizi Elevator, who died on June 2; and Bi Guangjun (毕光钧), founder of Shaoxing Jindianzi Textile, who died on April 16.
All committed suicide shortly after their release from Liuzhi.
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