They are still following the CIA insurgency manual

 From my post in July, talking about how the CIA says insurgencies are supposed to work:

Then comes  overt action. Just as I pointed out in part three of Roots of an Insurgency, the insurgency enters the crisis stage. Violence begins to be more frequent, and right out in the open. The militant wings of the insurgency come out of hiding and directly challenge the authority of the government. Not only is it the goal of the insurgents to beat the government, but to convince the people that there is no point in fighting, because the insurgency is too strong. The portions of the government- local, state, and Federal, who are under control of the insurgency will allow the insurgents to continue to operate, and will even support the actions of the insurgents. The government that is loyal to the status quo is then openly challenged to a fight. If the government accepts the challenge and win, they look like tyrants, but if they lose or refuse to accept the challenge, they look weak.

Now comes the part where the show trials begin. The perceived enemies of the revolution are ostracized or eliminated, just like these people.