Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association

Adherents of Falun Gong remained unable to peacefully assemble within mainland China for the purpose of protesting the state’s policy of persecution against them, practicing qigong exercises, meeting as a large group in public, etc. On the contrary, according to official directives, local security agencies were specifically tasked with preventing any form of Falun Gong-related appeal during the year, including the legally enshrined right to lodge a petition in Beijing.

“Three zeroes”—According to the CECC: “Several [official] reports [found online] mention ‘three zeroes’ that security officials should aim to achieve. An official report from the Communist Party Political-Legal Committee of Wuling district in the city of Changde in Hunan province urges cadres to ‘resolutely achieve the ‘three zeroes goal’ in 6-10 management work,’ which is defined as ‘no petitions in Beijing, zero incidents of local assemblies and protests, zero incidents of interference with television broadcasts.’”