On the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the 709 Crackdown, Human Rights in China (HRIC) honors Chinese women rights defenders by highlighting the activism of nine notable women who have been steadfast in fighting against suppression by the authorities.
Some of these women are lawyers and legal advocates who have chosen the difficult path of rights defense on their own. They have suffered harassment, surveillance, torture, and imprisonment, yet they did not retreat and have persevered in the pursuit of fairness and justice.
The Tiananmen Mothers: “For 33 years, we have been pursuing the three demands of 'truth, compensation, and accountability' in a peaceful and rational manner, calling for a dialogue with the government through the legal process to resolve the issues related to the June Fourth massacre. We appeal to your conscience on behalf of the families of those killed. For fairness and justice, we will persevere.”
Seeking government accountability for the massacre in accordance with the law is our legitimate right. For 33 years, we have been pursuing the three demands of “truth, compensation, and accountability” in a peaceful and rational manner, calling for a dialogue with the government through the legal...
Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, concludes her visit to China with a disappointing statement that betrays her mandate , as the world’s highest human rights authority, to “promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all human rights.” Bachelet...
The cases of the 47 individuals accused of “conspiracy to commit subversion”—known as the Hong Kong 47, or NSL 47, in reference to the National Security Law under which they are charged—have languished in Hong Kong’s court system for more than a year, while most of the detainees have been denied...
In anticipation of her upcoming visit to China, HRIC joins 59 human rights NGOs around the world in calling upon Michelle Bachelet to improve her office’s approach to addressing China’s human rights abuses. Among the NGOs’ requests are: release the long-delayed OHCHR report on Xinjiang, ensure the...
HRIC joins 191 NGOs around the world to urge UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet to publish the long-delayed OHCHR report on the grave human rights situation in Xinjiang.
In the lead-up to the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, a Chinese official explicitly warned athletes that, while in China, they would not be free to express themselves. Many of them did voice their concerns—before and after the Games—about human rights violations in China.
HRIC and NGOs around the world urge governments to join a diplomatic boycott of the Games, slated to begin February 4, 2022, and athletes and sponsors not to legitimize government abuses.
Fourteen years ago, the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics was critical for Chinese leaders to signal to audiences at home and abroad that China had arrived on the world stage as a powerful, respected global player. With the active participation of the international community,...
HRIC submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Mr. Diego García-Sayán, as input into a report he will present to the Human Rights Council in its 50th session in June 2022 (HRC50).
November 24, 2021 (updated) In a joint appeal to the director of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Justice and the warden of Shanghai Women's Prison, where citizen journalist Zhang Zhan is serving a four-year sentence and in declining health, 693 individuals, including rights lawyers, clergymen, and...
“As a collective of non-governmental organisations defending human rights and freedom of the press, we urge you to exonerate and release human rights defender, journalist, and former lawyer Zhang Zhan, who is suffering from a critical health condition and may die soon if she remains in detention...
“FIDH and its member organization HRIC urge the Council and its member states to take urgent actions to address the alarming deterioration of rights and freedoms in the Hong Kong SAR, China. . . .”
“We, a group of 72 international non-governmental organizations and individuals, are writing to call on your government to drop the charge of “inciting unauthorized assembly” against Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤) and unconditionally release her. . . .”
Some of these women are lawyers and legal advocates who have chosen the difficult path of rights defense on their own. Others are family members of lawyers and legal advocates targeted by the authorities—who have been compelled to take up rights defense in order to protect their own freedom and...
Thirty-two years ago, hardliners in the Communist Party of China made the cold-blooded decision to crush citizens’ voices and mobilize the People’s Liberation Army against the Chinese people, killing and maiming unarmed, peaceful protestors demanding the fundamental conditions for a healthy society...
HRIC mourns the tragic death of Li Jinjin
Student leader in the 1989 Democracy Movement & long-time HRIC board member
Our deep condolences to his family
Human rights defenders play a critical role in ensuring peaceful exercise of rights and promoting an independent civil society. As China’s civil society faces increasingly steep restrictions, human rights defenders have become the targets of draconian and comprehensive crackdowns. For their efforts, many human rights defenders have lost their jobs, family members, and personal freedom; many suffer mistreatment and torture in prison.
In these dark times for so many of them, HRIC honors their work, their spirit of dedication, and the great price they continue to pay in promoting the progress of civil society. Please take a moment to send messages to the imprisoned and detained rights defenders—to show your concern, solidarity, and support.
HRIC submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Mr. Diego García-Sayán, as input into a report he will present to the Human Rights Council in its 50th session in June 2022 (HRC50).
Four UN experts on Hong Kong: "Arrests under security law are serious concern, UN experts call for review" (Oct. 12, 2021): EN
UN Special Rapporteurs’ communication to China on the erosion of the right to freedom of speech, education, and academic freedom in Hong Kong (Aug. 13, 2021, made public on Oct. 12, 2021): EN
Click to see other UN statements on Hong Kong, under “Related Resources.”
What power structures and technologies are framing the dominant narratives about China?
Who is benefitting and who is resisting?
Day 1: Keynote by Sharon Hom: “Deconstructing China’s Party-State Narratives: Why It Matters and What We Can Do” (Friday, Oct 1, 16:10–17:30, CET/10:10-11:30AM, ET)
Day 2: Keynote by Jack Poulson, Ex. Dir., Tech Inquiry, US (Saturday, Oct 2, 18:30–20:00, CET/2:30-4PM, ET)
Conf. panelists to include:
Arslan Hidayat (Uyghur rights activist, AU) Badiucao (Cartoonist and activist, CH/AU, on video) Ray Wong (Hong Kong activist, founder of Hong Kong Indigenous, HK/DE) Glacier Chung Ching Kwong (Hong Kong political & digital rights activist, PhD student in law, U. of Hamburg, HK/DE) Maya Wang (Senior China researcher, Human Rights Watch)
USCC Hearing: "U.S.-China Relations in 2021: Emerging Risks"
Seeking government accountability for the massacre in accordance with the law is our legitimate right. For 33 years, we have been pursuing the three demands of “truth, compensation, and accountability” in a peaceful and rational manner, calling for a dialogue with the government through the legal...
Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, concludes her visit to China with a disappointing statement that betrays her mandate , as the world’s highest human rights authority, to “promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization, by all people, of all human rights.” Bachelet...
