“You are being watched, and though we are on the other side of the planet, we can still reach you." Amnesty International released a report based on interviews with 32 Chinese students, including 12 from Hong Kong, studying in universities in eight countries – from the United States to Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China Director, said that even when Chinese students study thousands of miles from home, many live in fear. “The Chinese authorities’ assault on human rights activism is playing out in the corridors and classrooms of the many universities that host Chinese and Hong Kong students,” she said. A typical story was told by a student who attended a commemoration of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. She was careful not to share her real name with anyone involved in the protest or to post anything online. Yet, a few hours later she heard from her father in China, who had been grilled by security officials. Such surveillance could possibly be performed by a quick study of online images. About one-half of Amnesty’s interviewees said they had been photographed or recorded at events by someone present at the protest. The only conclusion to draw from this is that China has enough spies in the United States and Western countries to show up and shadow protest events. Many students said they censor themselves online – even in the classroom – due to the perceived risk their comments and opinions will be reported. One-third of students said they changed the focus of their studies or dropped out of planned academic careers because of this pressure. “Threats made to family members in mainland China included to revoke their passports, get them fired from their jobs, prevent them from receiving promotions and retirement benefits, or even limiting their physical freedom,” Amnesty reports. In some instances, families have been pressured to cut off financial support for their children. More than one-half of the students interviewed said they suffered mental health issues linked to their fears, ranging from stress and trauma to paranoia and depression. One case led to hospitalization. Western universities have been slow to recognize and counter these threats to students. Some academics have even sided with China against dissident students. Amnesty reports that a student was dropped by a Western university researcher on a project after learning that she had participated in a protest critical of China. “The impact of China’s transnational repression poses a serious threat to the free exchange of ideas that is at the heart of academic freedom, and governments and universities must do more to counter it,” Brooks said. Universities need to be fully aware of the threat of surveillance and retaliation against their students from China. The U.S. government must also take countermeasures to stop Chinese surveillance of students in the United States, even if this means expelling diplomats or tracking others who surveil and harass students exercising their right to free speech. We must also be aware of the dangers of purchased or posted data and videos that expose Chinese students to harm. Amnesty’s report is a reminder that that in the United States, it is not just the U.S. federal government that surveils Americans and visitors to our shores. Comments are closed.
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