New York, June 2 -- As the 37th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown approaches, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused the Chinese government of intensifying efforts to erase public memory of the massacre while further tightening restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly.

According to Human Rights Watch, the Tiananmen Massacre followed weeks of peaceful demonstrations in Beijing and other Chinese cities in the spring of 1989. Students, workers, and citizens had gathered to demand democratic reforms, greater freedom of expression, and measures to combat corruption. On June 3-4, 1989, Chinese troops opened fire on protesters and bystanders in Beijing, resulting in numerous deaths. Human Rights Watch noted that Chinese...