China
The Chinese government is the world’s leading jailer of writers and public intellectuals. Writers, journalists, bloggers, and creative artists face censorship, harassment, imprisonment, and enforced disappearance because of their writing or creative expression.
What You Need to Know
More than 100 writers are currently behind bars on politicized charges in China. The majority were jailed for online expression that was critical of official policies or expressed pro-democracy viewpoints.
China’s leader Xi Jinping has overseen an extensive crackdown on free expression that has included attempted cultural and linguistic destruction targeting Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Mongolians and other ethnic minorities elevating to potential crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, and the crushing of civil and political rights in Hong Kong.
As China’s economic and political strength has increased, the Chinese Communist Party has also expanded its censorship apparatus overseas to try and limit expression about China beyond its borders, engage in transnational repression against exiles and the diaspora, and erode international human rights norms.
News
Individual Cases
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Wang, a well-known activist and online commentator, was detained ahead of the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen protests in May 2021, likely because of his critical tweets; the formal charge against him is “picking quarrels and provoking trouble.” He was…
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Gongan is an online commentator with a history of defending democratic rights. He was detained in September 2022 after posting political messages on WeChat as part of a conversation with other human rights defenders. He was sentenced to 1 year…
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Luo, a student of Ilham Tohti, was arrested for his involvement with Tohti’s website Uyghurbiz, which promotes mutual ethnic understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. He was sentenced in a 2014 secret trial and has been held incommunicado since 2018.
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Tohti, an influential Uyghur writer and economist, co-founded the website Uyghurbiz. In September 2014, following repeated instances of harassment and detention, he was found guilty of separatism and sentenced to life imprisonment. Since 2017, he has been held incommunicado.
Reports & Research
Addressing Beijing’s assault on free expression and defending human rights standards globally is a key priority.
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Writing on the Wall
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Made in Hollywood, Censored by Beijing
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Forbidden Feeds
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Splintered Speech
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Darkened Screen
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Censorship and Conscience
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Threatened Harbor
