Chinese dissident gains over 1 million Twitter followers for uncensored news, prompting crackdown on his supporters
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Chinese dissident Li Ying has gained over 1.6 million followers on Twitter for tweeting real news from China that gets censored, drawing the ire of authorities.
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Chinese police are now interrogating and pressuring his followers in China to try to silence him, marking an escalation in China's online censorship.
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Li Ying's account provided a window into nationwide mourning and discontent after former premier Li Keqiang's death, angering authorities.
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Crackdown is seen as a sign of weakness and fear by the party-state of activists like Li Ying wielding influence over Chinese people.
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His follower who got questioned by police immediately re-followed Li after, seeing his content as truth-telling amid rampant misinformation on Chinese Twitter.