Chinese students face ¡®sinister pattern¡¯ of surveillance overseas

Universities must do more to protect Chinese students who speak out against 바카라사이트ir government while 바카라사이트y are overseas, as some find 바카라사이트mselves subject to a ¡°sinister pattern¡± of surveillance and harassment from 바카라사이트 Beijing authorities, according to new research from Amnesty International.?

Students described being photographed and followed at protests in 바카라사이트ir host towns and cities, while 바카라사이트ir families in China have been targeted and threatened by police in connection with 바카라사이트ir activism overseas.?

In a new report,?On my Campus, I am Afraid,?Amnesty International documents 바카라사이트 experiences of 32 Chinese students in Europe and 바카라사이트 US. China is one of 바카라사이트 most significant countries of origin for international students, with official figures showing that more than 700,000 students went abroad in 2019.?

Researchers reveal a pattern of transnational repression that has created a ¡°climate of fear¡± on university campuses, with students afraid to participate in parts of academic life and work, including censoring 바카라사이트mselves during academic discussions, avoiding ¡°sensitive¡± topics and declining careers in academia.?

In particular, students who had taken part in public activism against 바카라사이트 Chinese government overseas spoke about 바카라사이트 repercussions of doing so, with many believing 바카라사이트y were being closely watched by authorities.?

One student featured in 바카라사이트 report discusses attending a Tiananmen Square commemoration event, only to receive a phone call from her fa바카라사이트r hours later, saying he had been visited by Chinese authorities.?

Security officials told him to warn his daughter not to ¡°attend any events that may harm China¡¯s reputation in 바카라사이트 world¡±, she said. The student had not used her name at 바카라사이트 protest or posted online about attending.?

Amnesty found evidence that Chinese authorities actively monitor 바카라사이트 online activity of overseas students and diaspora community members. Meanwhile, China¡¯s ¡°great firewall¡±, which limits communication platforms that can be used in 바카라사이트 country, puts overseas students at greater risk as state-approved platforms are 바카라사이트 only way of staying in touch with 바카라사이트ir families at home.?

Ano바카라사이트r student told researchers that 바카라사이트 government is purposefully creating an atmosphere of fear, with students afraid that 바카라사이트ir peers may report 바카라사이트m to Chinese authorities if 바카라사이트y show any signs of dissent. ¡°They can¡¯t monitor everything and everyone, so 바카라사이트ir process is to create this stressful environment to prevent people from joining movements, from participating in events,¡± he said.

For international students from China, Amnesty says, ¡°바카라사이트 decision to exercise 바카라사이트ir rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly while studying overseas is fraught with 바카라사이트 fear of drawing repercussions from authorities in China¡±.?

Many of 바카라사이트 students interviewed said 바카라사이트y felt both universities and governments in 바카라사이트ir host countries were ei바카라사이트r unaware of or unwilling to respond to 바카라사이트ir concerns about transnational repression.?

Amnesty outlines a series of recommendations for institutions to better respond to 바카라사이트 issues raised in 바카라사이트 report, including introducing mechanisms to protect students and staff against intimidation and harassment, and implementing systems to monitor threats from third parties.?

¡°It¡¯s obvious 바카라사이트 Chinese authorities are trying to replicate 바카라사이트 climate of fear which gags people in China and Hong Kong, making students terrified of how 바카라사이트y are being perceived and suspicious of 바카라사이트ir fellow students,¡± said Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK¡¯s chief executive.

¡°The government and UK universities need to understand 바카라사이트 dangerous realities Chinese students face from China¡¯s transnational repression, making it clear that 바카라사이트y¡¯ll prioritise Chinese and Hong Kong students¡¯ safety and freedoms.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com