Press release July 13, 2015
China Detentions and Repatriations Violate Basic Rights
China's recent limitations on issuance of passports to ethnic minorities violates international human rights standards.
Washington
In response to China’s recent detention of at least 24 human rights lawyers, and the forcible repatriation to China of members of the Uighur minority from self-imposed exile in Thailand, Freedom House issued the following statement:
“In addition to overt crackdowns, China’s limiting the issuance of passports to ethnic minorities violates international human rights standards,” said Mark P. Lagon, president. “Freedom House welcomes the U.S. State Department’s condemnation of the deportations and detentions. The U.S. government should raise the cost to the Chinese state of its repression by revisiting the United States 2014 visa validity extension policy, and require non-discriminatory issuance of papers for international travel.”
China is rated Not Free in Freedom in the World 2015, Not Free in Freedom of the Press 2015, and Not Free in Freedom on the Net 2014.