On the night of June 3-4, 1989, the authorities carried out a violent military crackdown on democracy protestors and independent union activists who had been gathering since April and attracting growing popular support. While international reporting focused on Tiananmen Square and Beijing, the crackdown was implemented nationally and resulted in a still unconfirmed number of deaths and detentions across China. Despite domestic and international calls for an investigation and reassessment, the Chinese authorities continue to label the protests a riot provoked by outside “black-hand” instigators.

Since the crackdown, HRIC has provided solidarity to individuals and groups, especially the Tiananmen Mothers, a group of family members and survivors working to hold the Chinese authorities accountable for ongoing official impunity. HRIC-related program activities include press work, translation, production of multimedia resources, and participation in commemoration and solidarity events.