Sydney | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

China’s leader to address UN conference on gender equality, even as activists detained at home

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by AP on September 24, 2015 BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping will preside this weekend over a U.N. conference on gender equality, which some activists say is galling given China’s recent detentions of women’s rights activists and its history of stopping people from attending U.N. meetings to discuss such (read more…)

Do women hold up half of China’s sky? Clinton disagrees

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by CNBC on September 28, 2015 Chairman Mao may once have proclaimed that “women hold up half the sky,” yet gender equality and women’s rights remain a tricky issue in modern China, and for international relations. On Sunday President Xi Jinping’s capped his week-long visit to the United States by (read more…)

China Accused of Stepping Up Pressure on Five Feminists

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Latin America Herald Tribune on September 21, 2015 BEIJING – A women rights activist, who was detained along with four other feminists for 37 days by Beijing earlier in the year, has accused the government of trying to get her evicted from her home. Li Tingting, the most active (read more…)

Chinese leader to address UN on gender equality, vexing some

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Associated Press on September 24, 2015 By LOUISE WATT, Associated Press BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping will preside this weekend over a U.N. conference on gender equality, which some activists say is galling given China’s recent detentions of women’s rights activists and its history of stopping people from attending (read more…)

China’s President Heads to US Amid Calls For Release of Political Prisoners

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 22, 2015 Chinese President Xi Jinping headed to the United States on Tuesday at the start of a state visit, amid calls for the release of political prisoners and concerns over cybersecurity. Xi will hold talks with President Barack Obama later this week, before (read more…)

Chinese Police Step Up Pressure on Feminist Five

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 23, 2015 One of the five Chinese feminists detained for planning an anti-sexual harassment campaign and since released on “bail” said on Tuesday that the authorities in Beijing are trying to make her homeless, as the government continues its months-long crackdown on nongovernment (read more…)

At the state dinner, leave some seats empty for China’s political prisoners

October 3, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by The Washington Post on September 20, 2015 Canceling this week’s state dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping or downgrading it to a burger-and-fries get-together, as some Republican presidential candidates proposed, would have been foolish. China is a force to be reckoned with, and President Obama is right to engage. But it isn’t (read more…)

Guest Post: The Repression of Human Rights Defenders in China

March 1, 2015 Comments Off

By Frances Eve | A prominent pro-bono lawyer disappeared into police custody in Beijing last November. The family of Xia Lin, a man known for defending death penalty cases and environmental activists, has received no information about him for more than three months.

Obama Silent on Meeting with Persecuted Activists Ahead of Chinese President’s Visit

September 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Washington Free Beacon on September 17, 2015 The Obama administration has yet to agree to a request from human rights groups that President Obama meet with persecuted Chinese activists ahead of his Chinese counterpart’s state visit in Washington next week. Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary, confirmed on (read more…)

Chinese rights group urges ‘real pressure’ ahead of Xi’s US visit

September 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Phayul on September 4, 2015 DHARAMSHALA, September 4: A Washington-based human rights watch dog urged the Obama administration to make a meaningful progress on human rights in China and exert ‘some real pressure’ on Chinese President Xi Jinping to end the prevailing rights abuse ahead of Xi’s first (read more…)

Wang Yu is a woman China wants silenced but whose voice the world needs to hear

September 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by News.com.au on September 3, 2015 WANG Yu went about her business knowing full well she was being watched by China. She didn’t expect them to turn on her so quickly. Described as “mild mannered” and “brave” by her supporters, the Chinese government viewed her instead as a thorn in (read more…)

Chinese Rights Activists Step Up Calls For Action Ahead of President’s Trip

September 20, 2015 Comments Off

Originally published by Radio Free Asia on September 3, 2015 As Chinese President Xi Jinping gears up for his first state visit to the United States since assuming the presidency in 2013, calls are growing for U.S. and Chinese officials to make meaningful progress on human rights following a series of harsh crackdowns (read more…)