( CNN ) The Chinese government has declared the Internet to be the new battlefield in its fight against `` pornography and unlawful information . '' The chilling reality is that the main casualty of this cyberwar is freedom of expression . China 's Internet model is one of extreme control . The authorities use an army of censors to stifle dissent . In January , the Orwellian `` State Internet Information Office '' announced it had shut down scores of websites and more than 100 social media accounts for `` distorting history of the Communist Party and the nation . '' Under the guise of a campaign to ensure social stability , the Chinese authorities suppress online debate on a range of legitimate issues . Dozens of phrases are censored on social media including any mention of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown or the recent Hong Kong pro-democracy protests . Thousands of websites , including Wikipedia , Facebook , Instagram and Twitter remain blocked . While the new battlefield is virtual , the impact on people 's lives is real and devastating . Since President Xi Jinping came to power , hundreds of people have been detained solely for expressing their peaceful views online . It is women 's rights activists , anti-corruption and environmental campaigners , and those urging debate on political and legal reforms who fall foul of online censors . Su Changlan was detained by police in October 2014 . Her apparent `` crime '' was to have posted comments online in support of Hong Kong 's pro-democracy protests . She faces charges of `` inciting subversion of state power , '' and a potential sentence of life imprisonment . Liu Ping , a 45-year-old mother and grassroots activist , languishes in jail right now . Last June , she was sentenced to six years in prison on the charge of `` picking quarrels and provoking troubles '' for publicly calling on the Chinese government to step up the fight against corruption . Liu Ping 's online posts of photos of her holding banners calling for transparency , and transcripts of Skype chats with foreign media , were used to condemn her at her trial . The paradox is that President Xi has made great mileage out of his own anti-corruption drive . The persecution of Liu Ping , and many others that raise these issues only underlines the hypocrisy of the current leadership . This online attack is part of the worst crackdown against freedom of expression in China in more than a decade . Under President Xi , it is an assault on all fronts : in academia , in the media , civil society and online . Ilham Tohti , an economics professor at Central University for Nationalities in Beijing and the founder of the `` Uyghur Online '' website was sentenced to life imprisonment in September 2014 on charges of `` separatism . '' The charge was based on his online articles , university lectures and interviews with foreign media . He worked to peacefully build bridges between ethnic communities and often criticized government policies that promoted discrimination . I have not seen evidence that his words did otherwise . The Chinese authorities abuse the law to suppress online freedom and target critical voices , yet have the guile to portray such persecution as evidence of the rule of law in action . Far from relenting , the government is introducing a swath of regressive legislation and regulations in a further assault against online privacy and freedom of expression . A new , vaguely worded draft anti-terror law lacks sufficient safeguards and gives the authorities virtually a free rein to collect information on individuals ' online activities . All Internet and telecommunication service providers operating in China would be required to give the government backdoor access to their systems and details about the encryption used . Yes , the government has a responsibility to ensure national security and to combat serious crime , but such measures must be targeted and proportionate to the threat . Internet companies doing business in China must also take all possible efforts to avoid contributing to human rights abuses . At the international level the Chinese government looks to legitimize its actions . China 's charismatic `` Internet Czar , '' Lu Wei , extolls the concept of `` internet sovereignty '' and promotes it as an acceptable global model . This initiative must not go unchallenged . Internet sovereignty in China equals censorship and persecution ; a web to trap thousands of individuals peacefully expressing different views online . While the immediate outlook is bleak , there is hope . The Internet has proved invaluable to the development of human rights -- revolutionizing access to information and improving transparency and accountability . For every online critic the Chinese authorities imprison , there are scores more prepared to speak out despite the risks . It is with these courageous individuals that those of us who value online freedom must stand united . The battle to promote Internet sovereignty and silence all critical voices is one the Chinese authorities must not be allowed to win . The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author .
Wikipedia 's Internet model is one of extreme control , says Amnesty 's East Asia director . Chinese authorities suppress online debate on a range of legitimate issues , she says . While the battlefield is virtual , the impact on people 's lives is real and devastating , she adds .