China deported Peter Dahlin, who was suspected of supporting crimes that endangered China’s state security. (Photo : Reuters)
The foreign ministry of China confirmed on Tuesday, Jan. 26, that the Swedish citizen suspected of funding activities threatening the national security had been expelled from china, as opposed to the previous misleading word “released.”
China deported Peter Dahlin, who was suspected of supporting crimes that endangered China's state security, on Monday, Jan. 25, in accordance with the relevant law, the Global Times reported.
Speaking during a daily briefing on Tuesday, China's spokesperson, Hua Chunying, stressed: "I need to correct that he was not released but deported. In accordance with the Criminal Procedure Law, Beijing State Security Bureau placed Peter under compulsory measures of residential surveillance at a designated residence. After inquiries, Peter owned up to the crime."
Hua added that before that, after the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, China informed the Swedish government about the relevant circumstance and arranged for them to visit him.
Dahlin, who had co-founded the China Urgent Action Working Group that was involved in legal affairs, was arrested on Jan. 3.
The Embassy of Sweden in China confirmed with the Global Times by quoting the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Margot Wallstrom, saying, "I welcome that Peter Dahlin has been released and can be reunited with his family in Sweden. This has come about following frequent contact between the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Chinese representatives."
The Swedish national and some other individuals have been operating an unregistered legal aid group in the Chinese mainland. Dahlin received undisclosed amount of money from overseas and carried out illegal activities, according to the Xinhua News Agency in a different report.
Chinese police said that the agency hired and trained others to collect, duplicate and distort information about China, giving "China's human rights report" to firms abroad.
The organization also organized others to interfere in sensitive cases, intentionally spurring disputes and prompting public-government altercations to cause mass incidents.
Dahlin confessed on China Central Television (CCTV) on Jan. 19: "We have become aware that certain people that we have supported . . . have gone on to do acts in clear violation of the law. I violated China's law through my activities here and I've caused harm to the Chinese government. I've hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. I apologize sincerely for this."
