News and Views on Tibet

Chinese repression against Tibetan and other diaspora communities in Japan: HRW

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Protesters rally in Tokyo to support the victims of a fire in Urumqi, the capital of East Turkistan occupied by China, November 30, 2022 (Photo/ Hiro Komae/AP)

Tsering Dhundup

DHARAMSHALA, Nov 9: Rights watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a new report stating that Chinese authorities are targeting and intimidating people from countries occupied by China who are living in Japan and engaging in activities deemed politically sensitive by the Chinese government.

According to the report released in October, the Chinese government’s harassment of diaspora community, includes people from East Turkistan, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia living in Japan, appears aimed at deterring them from protesting against the Chinese government or participating in events that challenge Beijing’s policies.

HRW interviewed 25 people from Hong Kong, mainland China, East Turkistan, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia who are living in Japan. All of them had been involved in peaceful activities, such as raising awareness about human rights abuses in East Turkistan or promoting Tibetan and Inner Mongolian culture, which the Chinese Communist Party views as threatening.

Most of those interviewed said they had been contacted by Chinese police, who pressured them to end their activities in Japan. Some reported receiving calls from authorities through their relatives back home, while others were approached at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo.

The report states that several Tibetans said they faced pressure from the Chinese government after engaging in activities to promote Tibetan culture in Japan. One Tibetan individual told HRW that when they went to the Chinese embassy in Tokyo to renew their passport, embassy officials told them they needed to return to Tibet to do so. The person said they rejected the embassy’s recommendation, fearing they would be detained or face punishment.

One person said they stopped participating in politically sensitive activities out of fear of retaliation, while another declined to be interviewed for the same reason. Several ethnic Uyghurs from East Turkistan said they were asked to share information about Japan’s Uyghur community. The report stated that Chinese authorities have violated the rights of Chinese nationals who return home, citing the case of a 23-year-old Hong Kong woman who was arrested upon returning to Hong Kong for pro-democracy comments she made while studying in Japan.

The report aligns with broader patterns documented by Freedom House, which in 2021  identified China as conducting the world’s most extensive campaign of transnational repression. The repression tactics span from direct renditions to digital threats and coercion by proxy, targeting political dissidents, human rights activists, and minority groups like Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Falun Gong practitioners globally.

According to Freedom House, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) transnational repression is characterized by its expansive scope, technological sophistication, and deep reach into foreign jurisdictions. WeChat, a popular social media platform among Chinese users worldwide, has become a tool for Beijing to surveil and silence dissent, with reports of hacking and phishing attacks targeting diaspora members.

The report also highlighted China’s use of its geopolitical influence to co-opt host countries into aiding its repression efforts. Countries such as Nepal and Thailand have reportedly assisted Beijing in detaining or monitoring individuals critical of the Chinese government.

HRW in its report called on the Japanese government to establish a system for residents to report incidents of transnational repression by the Chinese government, with appropriate privacy protections and asylum/protection mechanisms. The group also suggested Tokyo to coordinate with other countries and the UN to hold China accountable for these abuses.

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