Report Indicates CCP is ‘Terrorizing’ Chinese and Hong Kong Students in UK
Chinese students interviewed by Amnesty revealed that they were under surveillance and their families back in China were threatened due to their critical activities towards the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Amnesty International stated that the Beijing regime is instilling fear in Chinese and Hong Kong students participating in political protests in the UK. According to an Amnesty International report published on Monday, students’ families in China are facing intimidation and threats from security officials. The report highlighted the concerning reach of the Chinese government into British campuses, impeding students’ rights to protest and express themselves freely.
One student, known as “Rowan” to Amnesty, shared how her father was contacted by Chinese security services shortly after she attended an event commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. They instructed him to prevent his daughter from engaging in activities that could tarnish China’s reputation globally. Despite her anonymity at the event and online, Rowan was shocked that those linked to the regime could identify her and report her actions in her host country.
Rowan expressed to Amnesty the regime’s message to her, stating, “You are being watched, and though we are on the other side of the planet, we can still reach you.” The report revealed that nearly one-third of interviewed students had their families harassed by Chinese officials due to their criticisms of the CCP, with some facing threats of passport revocation or career destruction. Several students recounted instances of Chinese police pressuring their families to cut off financial support.
Describing the situation, Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, emphasized the alarming intrusion of the Chinese government into British campuses, jeopardizing students’ rights to education, debate, and activism.
Surveillance and Threats
The report titled “On My Campus, I Am Afraid” included testimonies from students in the UK, Europe, and North America who felt monitored by Chinese authorities or their agents. Instances were shared where individuals were observed filming protests and incidents of police involvement in response to pro-Hong Kong activities off-campus.
The report also detailed cases where students received death threats and warnings on social media platforms for expressing support for certain causes. Concerns were raised about the possibility of fellow students or Chinese nationalists informing authorities about critical activities, leading to self-isolation and fear among the student community.
In response to these developments, Amnesty called on British universities to recognize the risks faced by Chinese and Hong Kong students due to China’s transnational repression and prioritize their safety and liberties. The Epoch Times reached out to Universities UK and the Russell Group for further insight.
