2014-07-10
An undated photo of activist Lu Gengsong.
Photo courtesy of Lu Gengsong's family
Authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou have once more detained a veteran pro-democracy activist on suspicion of subversion, his wife and rights groups said.
Activist and member of the banned opposition China Democracy Party (CDP) Lu Gengsong was criminally detained by Hangzhou police on Monday on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power."
However, his wife said the move was likely a form of retaliation for Lu's advocacy work on behalf of ordinary people with grievances against the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
"Lu Gengsong came to see me at my workplace at around 8:00 p.m. [on Monday], and the police took him away as he was coming out," Lu's wife Wang Xue'e told RFA.
"The police didn't give us a reason."
According to a copy of the police detention notice seen by RFA, Lu is currently being held at the Hangzhou detention center.
Wang said more than 20 officers had then searched the couple's home, seizing a computer and two cell phones.
"The Hangzhou police didn't send the notification of criminal detention to us until Tuesday morning," Wang said.
The charge against Lu, 58, was listed as "incitement to subvert state power," she added.
She said she planned to hire top rights attorney Mo Shaoping to defend Lu.
"That's what Lu Gengsong told the state security police, and they gave me the message," Wang said.
