Children of jailed rights defenders, as young as infants and toddlers, have been detained in psychiatric wards or orphanages, while school-age children have been forced to drop out of school, a new report by the Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) reveals.
"Chinese authorities are punishing their families, including young children to penalize human rights defenders, rights lawyers, themselves. Even the Chinese law provides no legal basis for this perverse practice, which is forbidden in international law,” says Renee Xia, Executive Director of CHRD.
While this report focuses on 2023, Chinese authorities have used these tactics for decades. Seeking redress often triggers more police harassment, brutality, and baseless legal prosecutions.
As the Chinese government seeks greater global influence, its unlawful and perverse practice of collective punishment of human rights defenders deserves greater scrutiny. Its blatant violation of human rights and illegal practices should sound the alarm for the international community. While the Chinese legal system has failed to hold any perpetrators accountable, other governments and the United Nations human rights mechanisms should pursue justice for victims and end impunity for those Chinese officials responsible for collective punishment.
It’s telling that once again China is shown to coerce their citizens by threatening and punishing their loved ones. In Canada, there is a public inquiry right now about foreign interference in federal elections. China is a main subject, as they’ve coerced Chinese students into meddling with contestant nomination. The students’ family and legal student status were threatened.
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It’s telling that once again China is shown to coerce their citizens by threatening and punishing their loved ones. In Canada, there is a public inquiry right now about foreign interference in federal elections. China is a main subject, as they’ve coerced Chinese students into meddling with contestant nomination. The students’ family and legal student status were threatened.