> Are you referencing something specific?
Take your pick [1], (Li Zehua is worth noting) but they all stem from the same intimidation factor from the CCP, explicit documented details of the Mainlander examples are harder to track down using basic google searches, but they're out there if you look for it. I recommended a documentary called 'High Tech, Low Life' for first hand accounts of these in citizen journalism as they're being harrased by police, and one even has his passport revoked prior to boarding a plane to speak about censorship in the media in China.
I saw a few of those first hand videos they make re-posted as gifs of mainlander women who denounced the CCP/Xi on social media in the past and are often simply reading from a script lambasting themselves as 'selfish' and an 'unruly, ungrateful child' of China. Are you seriously not aware that something as simple as being a follower of Falun gong was cause to be sent to the supposed 300+ re-education camps [2] for this 'crime.'
The 'education' system in the mainland re-enforces that, as well. Compliance is not a choice, its demanded of you.
> Do you have primary sources demonstrating otherwise?
This specific case: where hired triads were not prosecuted but high profile Hongkongers are is a blatant example that it is in fact retro-active [3]. Lam Cheuk Ting, and 16 others have been arrested for their 'involvement' (which is to say recording others on the train being beaten on by unmasked assailants who went unpunished) in last year's 721 attack.
1: https://www.google.com/search?q=Chinese+citizens+forced+publ...
2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-education_through_labor
3: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/world/asia/hongkong-arres...
Sidenote: I may be arguing with a wumao, but I wrote this mainly for the benefit of anyone doubting this occurs at the hands of the CCP, as this poster has clearly tried to argue his pro CCP stance in his post history, in the hope that some of you FAANG workers come to realize what the implications of what you're building can look like in the hands of tyrannical governments. The US is far from innocent on the abuses of power throughout domestically and areound the World, but at least redress is a possible, albeit mainly from a lengthy and costly process that entails a significant and risky undertaking.