China: new wave of repression against homosexuals on WeChat
"There is no reasonable alternative to WeChat for anyone wishing to maintain regular contact with the Chinese-speaking world," reads a lawsuit claiming the mobile app is used for spying on Chinese government critics Lionel BONAVENTURE AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Several dozen LGBT student organizations were censored this week on Chinese social networks.
This decision hailed as "
a victory
" by some anti-West activists has aroused strong anger within the community.
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With our correspondent in Beijing,
Stéphane Lagarde
“
It happened on Monday evening a little before 10 pm,”
says an activist against discrimination.
For me, it doesn't come from schools. Everyone was confused, including some teachers.
First, WeChat account names disappeared. Then there was the total blocking of these accounts, some of which had tens of thousands of subscribers. The sequence was repeated in many Chinese provinces Monday, July 5 in the evening in China, causing amazement and incomprehension in the LBGT community.
Sun Wenlin, a lawyer in Changsha in the center of the country, explains that a closure of this magnitude is a first: “
We do not know the reason for these bans.
There was no public announcement.
Most of these accounts were officially recognized within universities.
This is the first time that we have faced such massive closures.
There are probably people who submitted a list… At the same time, censorship is still unpredictable in China… And we see more and more vicious and aggressive comments aimed at homosexuals.
"
More and more censored words
Attacks targeting homosexuals are indeed increasing. Tao Lina, communicator based in Shanghai, who has communicated a lot on Chinese vaccines lately,
considers these closures as "
good news
"
and thus believes "
in the name of freedom, equality and love
" foreign forces are trying to contain China. “
As a Chinese parent,
” he said, “
most people think it's repulsive and want the authorities to ban [these groups, note].
"
An argument taken up by some media which risks reinforcing discrimination, confides this activist of an NGO who wished to remain anonymous.
“
The first problem for homosexuals in China is first and foremost the parents.
Until now, the authorities have pretended to ignore the issue.
These massive bans show a change in attitude.
And the LGBT community is not the only one affected.
Speech is censored as soon as they consider it could affect stability.
"
Affect stability, create disorder, Chinese authorities do not appreciate social activism and the fact that minorities can come together in association.
►Also listen: 7 Billion neighbors - How to promote the rights of LGBT youth?
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