Again, my point is that, if an authoritarian government has the power to silence a person, then they certainly have the power to make a person say what it wants

Again, my point is that, if an authoritarian government has the power to silence a person, then they certainly have the power to make a person say what it wants them to say. (Not directly related, but "confessions" are fairly common in these regimes. Gui Minhai - for example.) Past track record? I think the events you've mentioned are organic protests, but that is beside the point.