Chinese media said Mr Dahlin, who was detained in early January, had received foreign funding to set up legal aid organisations in order ‘to train and fund many agents to carry out criminal activities that harmed state security.’ They said he used such people ‘to collect negative information about our country, to twist, exaggerate and even to fabricate.’

Working to empower Chinese citizens

The accusations against Mr Dahlin relate to his work with the Chinese Urgent Action Working Group (CUAWG), an organisation his colleagues say seeks to empower ‘Chinese citizens at a grassroots level to find redress for their grievances using Chinese law.’ 

Deepening crackdown

According to official news agency Xinhua, during the TV interview Mr Dahlin ‘confessed’ to violating Chinese law and said ‘I need to offer my deep apologies for hurting the Chinese government and the Chinese people.’ However, friends and colleagues of Mr Dahlin say they believe he has been coerced, with some of his statement appearing to be ‘scripted’. Source: International Business Times