Going global: China’s transnational repression of protesters worldwide
On 4 June, the world marks the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
In recent years, China’s crackdown on protest has gone global, as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) increasingly deploys transnational repression tactics to target and silence protesters abroad.
Our new report reveals the scale of the crackdown, and how China targets people who speak out against human rights violations – Uyghurs, Hong Kongers and Tibetans in particular.
The CCP and its agents use a range of tactics, from surveillance and digital harassment to physical assaults, abductions, and forced repatriations. They also target protesters’ relatives still based in China.
Drawing on original interviews with 29 representatives of diaspora communities, we document that transnational repression of protesters is most pronounced during state visits, outside of embassies and consulates, and during sensitive anniversary dates – such as 4 June.
The constant fear of repression leaves many activists isolated and burnt out, impacting their mental health and, in some instances, leading them to self-censor or to abandon their human rights work altogether.
“Authorities in host countries have yet to fully grasp the dangers of transnational repression – and so support to those targeted is often severely lacking. Public acts of physical violence, online intimidation, and the targeting of family members, especially against high-profile protest leaders, have a knock-on effect on human rights movements. The CCP employs its tactics to intimidate people from participating in protest, weakening global support and solidarity for human rights in China and around the world. Transnational repression silences dissent and chills freedom of expression.”
– Michael Caster, Head of ARTICLE 19’s Global China Programme
