China | June 26, 2024
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As reported by reported Radio Free Asia on 8 May 2024, in an effort to ensure ‘national security’, documents issued by the Ministry of State Security on 26 April 2024 give China’s state security police sweeping powers to gather electronic data by checking all kinds of electronic devices, including smartphones and laptops.
World Watch Research analyst Thomas Muller comments: “The law will be implemented from 1 July 2024, and while the focus is on strengthening national security - and thus, ultimately, Communist Party security - these new police powers reinforce a trend which has been ongoing for several years now. The worrying part is that the only precondition for such data gathering seems to be that two police officers present their IDs. There is no need for a warrant or even an ongoing criminal investigation. This will further intimidate citizens, including Christians, who have faced ever increasing accusations of ‘fraud’, ‘organizing illegal meetings’ or the time-tested ‘picking quarrels and supporting strife’. The overall goal of these new police powers seems to be to create a climate of fear and encourage self-censorship.”
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