In the Press - Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese Human Rights Defenders

As Peng Shuai, human rights issues hang over Olympics, IOC echoes China’s party line

February 4, 2022 Comments Off

By Dan Wetzel Originally published by yahoo! news on 4 February, 2022 The International Olympic Committee held a news conference Thursday in Beijing for its president, Thomas Bach. He also could have doubled as Chinese Communist Party spokesman. Bach is a smart guy. A 68-year old German lawyer who speaks (read more…)

How Much Freedom Of Speech Will Team USA Athletes Be Guaranteed At The Winter Games? Here’s What Organizers And Human Rights Groups Say

February 2, 2022 Comments Off

By Lisa Kim Originally published by Forbes on 2 February, 2022 Team USA athletes are arriving in China to compete in the Winter Olympic Games amid a global pandemic—not the only unusual element of the Games as athletes have been advised to use burner phones instead of their personal devices over (read more…)

‘This is not justice’: Chinese activists held for two years await trial

February 1, 2022 Comments Off

By Rhoda Kwan and Vincent Ni Originally published by The Guardian on 1 February, 2022 Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong expected to be charged with involvement in a meeting with activists in late 2019As millions of Chinese families gather this week to celebrate the arrival of the year of the tiger, (read more…)

Japan Expresses Concern About Xinjiang Abuses Ahead of Beijing Olympics

February 1, 2022 Comments Off

By Jonathan Walker Originally published by Vision times on 1 February, 2022 On Feb. 1, Japan’s lower house of parliament adopted a resolution that expressed concern about the Chinese communist regime’s human rights abuses against the Uyghur ethnic group in Xinjiang. The resolution was adopted just days before the 2022 Winter (read more…)

243 global groups call for action against China over human rights violations as Beijing Winter Olympics nears

January 29, 2022 Comments Off

Originally published by ANI on 29 January, 2022 New York [US], January 29 (ANI): 243 global groups including nongovernmental organisations have called for action against China over human rights concerns as Beijing Winter Olympics is set to begin in the first week of February. “The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will open (read more…)

China open to U.N. rights chief visiting Xinjiang, as long as she doesn’t do any investigating there

January 28, 2022 Comments Off

By Christian Shepherd Originally published by The Washington Post on 28 January, 2022 China said Friday it welcomes a visit by the U.N. rights commissioner to Xinjiang so long as it is an “exchange,” not an investigation — as human rights groups fear Beijing’s offer is a ruse to avoid (read more…)

Tibetans, Uyghur compete on China’s Olympics team, drawing praise and criticism

January 28, 2022 Comments Off

By Richard Finney Originally published by Radio Free Asia on 28 January, 2022 They are a source of pride, but their participation should not obscure China’s rights abuses, activists say. Two ethnic Tibetans and a Uyghur are competing this year on China’s national Olympics team in Beijing, prompting feelings of (read more…)

Beijing Olympics to begin amid atrocity crimes: HRW

January 28, 2022 Comments Off

Originally published by INDIA BLOOMS on 28 January, 2022 Beijing: The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will open amid atrocity crimes and other grave human rights violations by the Chinese government, 243 nongovernmental organizations from around the world said today. The groups urged governments to join a diplomatic boycott of the Games, (read more…)

Winter watch: how China might keep a tight Olympic grip

January 28, 2022 Comments Off

Originally published by The Guardian on 28 Jan, 2022 In the lead-up to the Beijing Winter Olympics there have been two major side issues unrelated to sport: Covid, and human rights protests. Chinese authorities have implemented an ambitious “closed loop” system to try to keep the Games free of a (read more…)

China cracks down on human rights activists ahead of Winter Olympics next month

January 20, 2022 Comments Off

Originally published by ANI on 20 January, 2022 Chinese authorities are detaining human rights activists to strike out any potential dissent and criticism right ahead of the next month’s Winter Olympics. Free-speech advocate Yang Maodong was detained for undermining the Chinese authority on January 12, reported Wall Street Journal. Notably, Yang, (read more…)

China Detains Prominent Activists as Olympics Near, Citing State Security

January 19, 2022 Comments Off

By Chao Deng Originally published by The Wall Street Journal on 19 January, 2022 Appeared in the January 20, 2022, print edition as ‘China Detains Activists Ahead of the Olympics.’ Detention of free-speech advocate Yang Maodong, missing since December, is confirmed days after wife’s death from cancer in the U.S. (read more…)

Olympic Athletes To Be Seen, Not Heard, Warns Beijing Organizing Committee

January 19, 2022 Comments Off

By Joseph Brouwer Originally published by China Digital Times on 19 January, 2022 Olympians may face punishment for speech crimes if they criticize China while competing in Beijing, a member of the Beijing Organizing Committee warned in a press conference Tuesday. Prior to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (read more…)