Slide Show | Chinese Human Rights Defenders

“In a Prison Cell Waiting for Daybreak”：Arbitrary Detention in China may Constitute Crimes Against Humanity

March 5, 2025 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders, March 5, 2025) Between 2019 and 2024, Chinese authorities arbitrarily detained thousands and convicted 1,545 prisoners of conscience for peacefully exercising or advocating for human rights. They were sentenced and imprisoned on charges that stem from laws that are not in conformity with the Chinese government’s (read more…)

Joint Civil Society Statement following the Fifth Anniversary of the ‘Xiamen Gathering’ Crackdown

February 12, 2025 Comments Off

Following the fifth anniversary of the ‘Xiamen Gathering’ crackdown, Chinese Human Rights Defenders and 37 other civil society organizations and activists across the world signed a joint statement, reaffirming our solidarity with Chinese human rights defenders and lawyers persecuted for advocating for human rights.

“厦门聚会案”五周年联合声明

February 12, 2025 Comments Off

在“厦门聚会”镇压五周年后，人权捍卫者与全球其他37个公民社会组织及活动人士共同签署了一份联合声明，声援因倡导人权而遭受迫害的中国人权捍卫者和律师。

China’s Draft Internet ID Measure Threatens to Tighten Online Censorship

February 5, 2025 Comments Off

Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) and ARTICLE 19 issued an analysis of the proposed Internet ID Measure in China. Although not yet adopted, if enacted, the measure will further restrict online freedom of expression and access to information, hinder the work of human rights defenders, breach international human rights standards, (read more…)

CHRD Joins other human rights groups endorsing a new policy memo: Prioritizing Human Rights in United States Policy toward China: A Guide for the Trump Administration

February 3, 2025 Comments Off

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses interrelated threats to the United States’ national security, economic interests, and human rights. But for decades, policymakers have elevated national security and economic interests over human rights. This has led to worse outcomes in all three areas, particularly for people across China. The Trump (read more…)

Sophie Richardson Joins Chinese Human Rights Defenders Network

January 2, 2025 Comments Off

(January 2, 2025) – Sophie Richardson, a veteran human rights advocate and a leading scholar of Chinese politics, human rights, and foreign policy, has been named the Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders’ Co-Executive Director, the organization said today. Dr. Richardson assumes the position on January 2, 2025.

Beijing Must End Punishment of “Blank Paper” Protesters

November 25, 2024 Comments Off

On the two-year anniversary of Chinese authorities’ crackdown on the peaceful “Blank Paper” demonstrations, Chinese Human Rights Defenders calls on Beijing to release all wrongfully detained protesters. We urge the international human rights community to press the Chinese government to fulfill its human rights obligations to protect freedom of peaceful (read more…)

Joint Letter Calling for Gao Zhen’s Release: Upholding Human Rights and Freedom of Expression

November 18, 2024 Comments Off

The undersigned organizations are gravely concerned by the arrest of Gao Zhen and call for his unconditional and immediate release. His detention is not just a violation of his rights but a blatant abuse of power and an attack on the fundamental human freedoms of all Chinese people who have (read more…)

China Must Urgently Release Human Rights Lawyer Yu Wensheng and Activist Xu Yan — A joint statement

November 13, 2024 Comments Off

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are deeply concerned about this case and call for the immediate and unconditional release of Yu and Xu, as they have been sentenced solely for the exercise of their human rights including the right to freedom of expression.

CHRD Requests Urgent Action and WGAD Review for Detained Lawyer Xie Yang

November 11, 2024 Comments Off

Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) sent communiqués to UN human rights special procedures, Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Working group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Special Rapporteur on (read more…)

Urgent Action: Provide Life-Saving Care to Prisoner of Conscience Xu Zhiyong during Hunger Strike

October 24, 2024 Comments Off

(Chinese Human Rights Defenders – October 24, 2024) CHRD is alarmed that imprisoned legal advocate Xu Zhiyong is in life-threatening condition after being on a hunger strike since October 4 to protest the ill-treatment and violations of his rights at Lunan Prison, Shandong Province. We call on the Chinese authorities (read more…)

Joint statement from civil society and human rights organisations on UK Foreign Secretary’s visit to China

October 16, 2024 Comments Off

We, the undersigned, representing civil society and human rights organisations across the UK, urge British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to use his official visit to Beijing and Shanghai to raise concerns about the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) in Hong Kong: in particular, its extraterritoriality clauses, which allows the law (read more…)