News - Chinese Human Rights DefendersChinese Human Rights Defenders

China: Authorities Deny Fair Trial Rights in Religious Prosecutions

July 1, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—July 1, 2026) Chinese authorities’ ongoing prosecution of individuals based on their religious belief is marred by multiple violations of fair trial rights. A lawyer representing a detained member of a house church—an unregistered Christian congregation—has been denied access to case files; other lawyers have (read more…)

China: New “Ethnic Unity” Law Legalizes Discrimination, Repression

June 25, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—June 25, 2026) The Chinese government’s new “ethnic unity” legislation, which comes into effect on July 1, permits violations of human rights, particularly ethnic minorities’ rights to culture and way of life. The new legislation, which was adopted by the National People’s Congress in March (read more…)

China: Tiananmen Anniversary Highlights Systemic Labor Rights Abuses

June 1, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—June 2, 2026) Ahead of the 37th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre, CHRD pays tribute to the victims and survivors of the Chinese government’s violent military assault against unarmed protesters in 1989. Chinese authorities have never investigated or prosecuted perpetrators, and that impunity emboldens the (read more…)

China: Authorities Flout International Law, Enabling Child Labor

May 21, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—May 21, 2026) The Chinese government, schools, and companies are failing to protect some children under 18 from hazardous work conditions and children under 16 from illegal employment, the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) said today in a new report. Despite domestic legislation (read more…)

中国当局漠视国际法，纵容童工现象滋生

May 21, 2026 Comments Off

（人权捍卫者网络，2026年5月21日）非政府组织”人权捍卫者网络”（CHRD）今天发布的报告指出，中国政府部门、职业学校、以及有关企业未切实保护18岁以下未成年人，造成他们在强制实习期间因危险劳工条件受到身心伤害，也没有依法防止有关企业非法雇用16岁以下儿童。尽管中国已制定相关国内法律，并批准加入了多项国际公约，童工问题仍在全国各地许多行业中持续存在。

Joint Letter Ahead of European Parliament Delegation Visit to China

May 19, 2026 Comments Off

Dear Members of the European Parliament, Ahead of your forthcoming visit to China, we urge you to put human rights at the centre of your engagement with your Chinese counterparts.

Hong Kong: Judges Should Throw out Sham Prosecution of Tiananmen Vigil Organizers

May 19, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—May 19, 2026) Closing statements concluded today at Hong Kong’s High Court in the trial against the organizers of the territory’s long-running vigil for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. One of the judges indicated the verdict may be handed down in mid-to-end (read more…)

“No Deals without Freedom: Freeing Political Prisoners in China”

May 11, 2026 Comments Off

On behalf of the more than four thousand political prisoners wrongfully held by the Chinese government since 2019—1,451 of them still arbitrarily detained today, and all documented by CHRD—I thank you for the opportunity to join this gathering.

Civil Society Groups Call for the Immediate Release of Detained Artist Gao Zhen

May 10, 2026 Comments Off

On May 10, CHRD joined a coalition of civil society groups, human rights organizations , and individual advocates in calling for the immediate and unconditional release of renowned artist Gao Zhen, who remains detained at the age of 70.

Alert: Deaths and Torture of Prisoners of Conscience amid Delayed UN Scrutiny

April 30, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—April 30, 2026) Chinese authorities should immediately release and provide adequate medical care to two arbitrarily detained Tibetan writers. They are reportedly in critical health and are being deprived of adequate medical treatment in prison. Two Falun Gong practitioners recently died in prison or shortly (read more…)

China: Pastor to Stand Trial on Bogus “Illegal Business Operations” Charge

April 22, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—April 22, 2026) The Pingyang County Court in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, is scheduled to try Pastor Huang Yizi on April 24, 2026. Pastor Huang is charged with conducting “illegal business operations,” according to a court notice published by the Chinese-language website Rights Defense Network.

China: Release Activist and End Deprivation of Medical Care in Detention

April 15, 2026 Comments Off

(Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders—April 15, 2026) Hubei authorities should release activist Yin Dengzhen from Wuhan Women’s Prison and ensure she receives adequate medical treatment. Yin is serving a 4.5-year prison sentence and is suffering from lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), which was diagnosed in December 2024. Her (read more…)