Hong Kong activists on Tuesday urged Chinese President Hu Jintao to listen to democratic demands during his visit to the city this week as they protested over alleged restricted rally conditions.
Hu is scheduled to arrive on Friday for a three-day visit ahead of the 15th anniversary of the former British colony's return to Chinese rule on Sunday, when thousands of people are expected to hit the streets to call for democracy.
Several demonstrations have been planned, but a key pro-democracy group accused police of "silencing protests" after negotiations over the arrangements for a rally failed.
The Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China said police would not allow protesters to gather near a convention centre where Hu is expected to attend a series of handover anniversary events.
"We hope President Hu Jintao can hear us protest and see our protest," alliance chairman Lee Cheuk-yan said, adding that the group plans to protest over the Tiananmen Square crackdown and Chinese dissident Li Wangyang's death.
Lee criticised the police for its harsh treatment of protesters during Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang's visit last year "where no form of expression is allowed within sight and hearing range of a leader".
Hong Kong remains a semi-autonomous city where Beijing promises civil liberties including the right to protest not seen on the mainland.
Police have beefed up security ahead of the weekend and say they have a duty to protect Hu's "personal safety", although it refused to confirm reports that 5,000 policemen would be deployed during the leader's visit.
Meanwhile, a lawmaker said her Chinese microblog had been shut down after she posted comments urging people to remember dissident Li, a veteran Tiananmen activist who allegedly died under suspicious circumstances this month.
Audrey Eu of the Civic Party told AFP her Sina Weibo account, China's equivalent to Twitter, has been inaccessible since Monday after the site said she posted materials that did not comply with the regulations.
The microblog told her to "choose some healthy content to share with the netizens" when she tried to log on, she added.
Beijing regularly blocks Internet searches under a vast online censorship system. It announced plans earlier this month to tighten the use of microblogs.
