June 2013

China urged to end forced resettlements in Tibet

Human Rights Watch urged Chinese authorities to stop the forcible relocation of Tibetans. The organization claims that Chinese authorities have relocated more than two million Tibetans in the past seven years. Sophie Richardson, Human Rights Watch China director, asserted, "The scale and speed at which the Tibetan rural population is being remodeled by mass rehousing and relocation policies are unprecedented in the post-Mao era." 

Riots in China's Xinjiang region kill 27

According to Chinese official state media, 27 people died in Xinjiang province after police opened fire on 'knife-wielding mobs.' Official reports state that 17 people, 9 police and 8 civilians, had been killed prior to police opening fire on the crowd. 

Xinjiang is home to 10 million Uighurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group. The Uighurs have endured intense religious and cultural persecution at the hands of the Communist Party. This most recent outburst of violence follows a similar incident in April during which 20 people died during an altercation with security officials.

Liu Xia Sues Beijing Police

Liu Xia, the wife of Nobel Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, is suing Beijing police following her brother’s jailing. Liu’s lawsuit alleges that her house arrest is illegal under Chinese law. Liu is also preparing a petition urging authorities to grant her husband a retrial. Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years in prison for “inciting subversion of the state,” a charge stemming from his participation in drafting an essay urging political reforms. 

北京反击美国人口贩运报告将中国评等降至最低

华盛顿 — 美国国务院星期三公布年度国际人口贩运问题报告，中国被列为打击人口贩运最不力的第3级，也是最低等级的国家，面临美国可能的制裁。中国政府称美国的做法“不负责任”，并表示，任何国家都没有资格对别国进行“评判”。
 
在美国国务院公布的最新年度人口贩运报告中，中国与乌兹别克、俄罗斯一同被列入最低级别，也就是贩运人口问题最严重的第3级国家。
 

China Downgraded to Lowest Human Trafficking Ranking

Earlier this week, China was downgraded by the U.S. survey of human trafficking across the globe to the lowest ranking. They have been downgraded from the Tier-2 watch list to the Tier-3 blacklist, raising the possibility of economic sanctions from the U.S. government. In receiving a Tier-3 ranking, China is joining the also newly demoted Russia and Uzbekistan, as well as North Korea, Syria, Zimbabwe and Iran.