Chinese authorities approached the family of an international student who participated in high-profile protests at an Australian university and warned his parents of the potential consequences of political dissent.
The apparent intimidation tactics suggest the Chinese government was monitoring the demonstration at the University of Queensland to record who attended, in a development one influential Liberal MP said was alarming.
The student took part in last month's event to show support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong and to condemn Beijing's repression of the Uighur ethnic minority group.
"I was in the protest. When people were recording I was doing my best to hide my face or stay away from the crowd," the student, who did not want to be identified for fear of repercussions, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.
But within days of the rally the student received a call from his mother in China to say the family had been approached by "a guest".
His mother told him the authorities had issued a warning about engaging in "anti-China rhetoric" in Brisbane and warned him not to "join any events where people are gathered together".
"As long as you do that, we can make sure you're safe and we're safe," his mother told him.
She said the family had assured officials that their son was loyal to the Communist Party.
Big brother is watching