By: Jessica Ties
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China –Despite claims by the Chinese government that it is introducing democracy to its people, Chinese elections have faced criticism for harassing potential candidates and engaging in irregularities during the voting process.

Han Ying, a former potential candidate and land activist, has received threats and has been prevented from leaving her home. In addition, she was detained in a basement for ten hours after printing fliers to advertise her campaign and encouraging people to hear her speak.

The decision to end her campaign, however, came when she was nearly abducted after arriving home to find a guard at the gate of her neighborhood. In fear, she drove away but was followed by a gray car. After arriving at a friends apartment complex she was grabbed by officials, who attempted to drag her into the car, as she attempted to run up the stairs and into her friends apartment. After she screamed the men let go and, before leaving, told her that they were from the election commission and had “just wanted to talk” to her.

Another individual was forcibly removed by the police and taken out of town after he attempted to register as an independent candidate. On election day, he was accompanied by the local police and the state security police to his polling station.

In a similar case, Li Sihua, was accused of “sabotaging the election” when he refused to heed requests to not run for office. He was taken out of town by authorities during three important stages of the elections.

One of the few independent candidates to win the election was sixty-year-old Guo Huojia, a land activist, who received 7,000 out of the possible 9,000 votes.  The day after his victory, however, he was placed under house arrest where he has remained since September 29.

In addition to harassing prospective candidates, the Chinese government has misinformed voters about proper procedure causing many ballots to be deemed “spoiled.”

In one case, a voter chose one preselected candidate and then filled in the box that allowed voter’s to vote for a person not on the ballot. When she turned her ballot in, she was told that it would be discarded because she did not select two approved candidates as required.

Other voters have reported that employees watched them make their selections and did not offer private accommodations unless explicitly asked.

In another irregularity, a potential candidate was eliminated from the ballot during a selection meeting that the police prevented her from attending.

The elections have also been clouded by China’s central propaganda department’s direct order to state media that “news reports regarding independent candidates or election workshops are strictly prohibited.”

The central government also ordered those in charge of China’s most used websites to attend workshops where they were told to tighten censorship. Following the workshops, many of the independent candidate’s websites were removed.

Chinese officials have also arbitrarily removed candidate names from the ballot. Of the almost 7,000 candidates listed on the ballot, none of the thirteen known independent candidates were included.

Land confiscation is considered the hot button issue in these elections and many of the independent candidates have been involved in land rights activism. This background has been a cause of concern for Chinese authorities who have faced criticism in recent months for taking land from peasant farmers without adequately compensating them. As recently as November 7, three brothers in China self-immolated themselves in protest of land grabs drawing increased attention to the issue in China.

 

For more information, please see:

Radio Free Asia – Voters ‘misled’ at Polls – 8 November 2011

Voice of America – Democracy Candidates Barred from Beijing Elections – 8 November 2011

Radio Free Asia – Clampdown on Eve of Poll – 7 November 2011

Radio Free Asia – Three Peasants Self-Immolate – 7 November 2011

USA Today – ‘Chinese-Style Democracy’ Ensures Communists Prevail – 7 November 2011

Los Angeles Times – China’s Independents Find it Hard to Get on Ballot -5 November 2011