The Political Prisoners Xi Jinping Doesn't Want the World to See
Date
September 15, 2026
Ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to Washington in September 2026, much of the public conversation has focused on trade, security, technology, and strategic competition. Yet no discussion of the U.S.-China relationship is complete without acknowledging the Chinese Communist Party's systematic assault on fundamental freedoms. Behind every statistic is a person: a journalist imprisoned for telling the truth, a pastor jailed for practicing his faith, a democracy advocate sentenced for demanding free elections, a Uyghur or Tibetan detained for their identity, or a family separated for exercising basic human rights.
Freedom House convened former political prisoners, family members of those still unjustly detained, and leading human rights advocates for a timely event on the human cost of the CCP’s repression. Their stories are a powerful reminder that, even amid diplomatic engagement and geopolitical negotiations, the rights and dignity of those persecuted by the Chinese government must not be forgotten. The event condemned the Chinese government's ongoing campaign of political imprisonment and honored the resilience, courage, and hope demonstrated by those who have survived persecution and by the families who continue to fight for the release of loved ones still behind bars.
This event affirmed a simple principle: economic and strategic interests should never eclipse the universal rights and freedoms that define human dignity.
Speakers:
Bethany Allen, Head of China Investigations and Analysis, Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Rayhan Asat, Senior Legal & Policy Advisor and China Lead, Atlantic Council; sister of political prisoner Ekpar Asat
Jamie Fly, CEO, Freedom House
Grace Jin Drexel, Daughter of Pastor Ezra Jin; Advocacy Director, Luke Alliance
- Ezra Jin Mingri, Pastor, Zion Church of Beijing; former political prisoner
Sophie Luo, Human Rights Advocate; wife of political prisoner Ding Jiaxi
- Gao Pu, son of political prisoners Pastor Gao Quanfu and Pang Yu