text: China said to fear dissidents more than criminals . MANILA 1996-08-31 The detention of veteran dissident Wang Donghai showed China 's determination to crush any vestige of dissent during the current profound transitions in the nation 's leadership , a human rights activist said on Saturday . Xiao Qiang , executive director of the New York-based group Human Rights in China , said Wang 's arrest on Friday appeared to be part of the national " Strike Hard " campaign that has imprisoned thousands and sent hundreds to their death . Although supposedly aimed at criminals , dozens of human rights activists have been detained in the campaign , which is meant to strengthen the Communist Party 's grip on power as senior leader Deng Xiaoping nears death , Xiao said in an interview . " China is going through this power transition period . The authorities are apparently extremely afraid of any political and social discontent , " said Xiao , in Manila to attend an Amnesty International conference on human rights in China . He said one of Wang 's apparent offences was to write a public letter in May suggesting that a free press and an independent judicial system were vital if the government really meant to stamp out rampant corruption . Xiao said crushing legitimate dissent was only making the problem worse and one day China would pay a high price . " Those issues are not going to go away by repression . You only make things more hidden but potentially more explosive , " he said . Wang was arrested in the east China city of Hangzhou by security officers who told the dissident 's family he would be sent to a study class -- a euphemism for coercive ideological reform . Wang , 45 , was sentenced last month to one year 's " re-education by labour " but was released because of ill-health . Xiao said conditions in the labour camp were so brutal they drove another activist sentenced with Wang to attempt suicide . Police beat Wang and his colleague , Chen Longde , and encouraged other camp inmates to attack them as well , Xiao said .