Lawyers and activists say individuals can be secretly flagged by police systems, triggering long-term monitoring and restrictions on daily life.
In recent days, rights activists in China have drawn attention to what appears to be a Chinese police system that subjects certain individuals to continuous monitoring based on their classification as “key persons.”
According to Chinese human rights lawyers and people affected, the system—run within the regime’s public security networks—can trigger alerts tied to a person’s movements, ID use, and daily activities, creating a persistent layer of surveillance that operates largely outside formal legal procedures.
Inside a Hidden Monitoring List
In a video posted on April 14, Beijing-based lawyer Chen Xiuyun said police internally classify seven categories of individuals as priority targets for monitoring. These include people linked to alleged terrorism, those deemed threats to “social stability,” individuals with serious criminal records, drug-related offenders, fugitives, people with certain mental health conditions, and petitioners (citizens who file complaints against authorities).
Once entered into the system, she said, individuals may face ongoing surveillance and control, meaning that routine actions such as travel, hotel check-ins, or ID verification can automatically trigger alerts to authorities.
More importantly, Chen said, the system operates without issuing formal legal documents. Those affected are typically not informed of their status, and there are no clear mechanisms to challenge inclusion or seek removal.
“The control is part of an internal operational framework,” she said in the video. “People often have no way of confirming whether they are on the list, and once included, it can be very difficult to get off it.”
She added that, unlike criminal records—which in some cases can be sealed under Chinese law—these internal lists lack transparency, oversight, or defined procedures.
Another Beijing-based lawyer, identified only by his surname, Hao, out of fear of reprisal, told The Epoch Times he had long heard of such monitoring lists.
“My impression is that people on these lists are subject to questioning wherever they go,” he said. “They may also be barred from entering certain venues that require ID verification, including some public government facilities.”
Hao said the designation of “key persons” can have far-reaching consequences, potentially restricting what would otherwise be considered basic civil rights.
In his view, many individuals included in such systems have not actually broken the law. Some who have drawn scrutiny from the authorities are petitioners and rights advocates who oppose the regime, he said.
China’s legal framework does grant police certain powers to monitor and restrict specific groups. Laws such as the Counterterrorism Law and the Public Security Administration Punishments Law grant broad discretion to enforcement authorities.
However, the scope of monitoring appears to extend beyond those categories. Groups such as petitioners and activists may be incorporated into surveillance frameworks that do not rely on judicial rulings.
