Ilham Tohti, a former lecturer at the Minzu University of China, has been indicted on charges of separatism, prosecutors in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region announced on their microblog account on Wednesday.

Tohti's Uyghur identity has made him the center of Western opinion, which believes the charges against Tohti are efforts by Chinese authorities to curb freedom of speech and tighten ethnic policies. In April, when Tohti was in detention, the PEN American Center, a literary and human rights organization, awarded him the 2014 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.

Tohti reportedly said inciting words in class when he taught at the Minzu University of China. Those who had attended his class said he often fomented hatred between Han students and those from the Uyghur community.

In addition, he reportedly had a close relationship with the World Uyghur Congress, which seeks Xinjiang independence from China. In 2006, he established a website, Uyghur Online, to voice criticism of the country's ethnic policies, but it was shut down several times during the July 5 riots in Xinjiang in 2009 due to rumor-mongering and clamoring for separatist sentiments.

Chinese society has been adapting to dissenting voices that are keen to confront the government. The harsh criticism of a number of issues by activists like Tohti reminds the government, on the one hand, of where its deficiencies lie. But on the other hand, it challenges the country's social governance. These activists, backed by some Western forces, view the confrontation with the authorities as a kind of moral superiority. Their actions are only based on the values they believe in, but they turn a blind eye to whether their behavior is legitimate and whether it does good to social governance.

Public opinion on social networks often supports these dissidents who dare to challenge authorities and voice dissatisfaction with the government on behalf of them.

As the role of social media progresses amid a series of public events in the past, in which online opinion has had great influence on the decision-making of the authorities, there is room for dissent or confrontational voices in society. But the basis is that any speech or actions by these people should be made within the boundaries of the law.

The Chinese authorities should be aware that detaining or charging activists can be turned into a public event. Certain forces may impose pressure on the authorities. In turn, the authorities should act in accordance with the law as impeccably as they can. This will also clear the way for China's rule of law.