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Various advocacy organisations dedicated to human rights, democracy and religious freedom have urged Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping to take a series of steps to address human rights concerns ahead of his scheduled visit to Washington, DC, on September 24, 2026, according to a press release highlighted by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC).
As cited by the WUC press release, the organisations called on Xi to release prisoners of conscience and human rights defenders, end transnational repression and collective punishment, and commit to legal reforms before he arrived in the United States. The organisations said that such measures would help address criticism surrounding the visit and concerns over what they described as the Chinese government's human rights violations. According to the open letter, the signatories said they had documented, and in some cases personally experienced, what they described as widespread and systematic human rights violations since Xi assumed power in late 2012. They alleged that these actions violated China's domestic and international legal obligations. The organisations raised concerns regarding Tibetans, Uyghurs and other communities, alleging that government policies were aimed at erasing their culture, identity and language, while also restricting rights relating to free speech and fair trials. The letter also highlighted concerns over what the organisations described as violations of Hong Kong's civic culture and free media. It further referred to rights-defence activities undertaken by faith leaders and communities, feminists, journalists, lawyers, public health experts and other activists across China. The organisations specifically raised concerns over newly imposed legislation, including the 2026 Ethnic Unity and Progress Law, which they said stood in contrast to China's obligations under international human rights law. The signatories also cited concerns expressed by United Nations human rights experts regarding arbitrary detention in China. According to the letter, the organisations said the scope and scale of arbitrary detention across the country may constitute crimes against humanity, while expressing solidarity with victims and survivors. The open letter further focused on what the organisations described as China's use of transnational repression and collective punishment to silence speech and restrict conduct outside the country. As highlighted by the WUC press release, several signatories said they had been harassed, stalked or surveilled in the United States by Chinese government or Chinese Communist Party authorities or their alleged proxies. The organisations also alleged that family members of some US-based activists in China had been targeted in retaliation for the activists' work. The organisations welcomed efforts by the United States and other governments to investigate and prosecute what they described as extralegal activities, adding that they would continue documenting such alleged violations. Ahead of Xi's visit, the organisations called for the immediate and unconditional release of prisoners of conscience, human rights defenders and people they described as arbitrarily detained because of family members' activism. The letter listed several individuals whose release, according to the signatories, had been sought by US lawmakers or who had a strong connection to the United States. The list includes Dr. Gulshan Abbas, Ekpar Asat, Chow Hang-tung, Rahile Dawut, Ding Jiaxi, Dong Yuyu, Pastor Gao Quanfu, Gao Zhen, Gao Zhisheng, the 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Niyima, Go Sherab Gyatso, Albert Ho, Jimmy Lai, Lee Cheuk-yan, Min Zin, Ilham Tohti, Lobsang Tsering, Wang Bingzhang, Pastor Wang Yi, Yang Maodong, and the leaders of the Zion Church. The organisations also urged Xi to announce an intention to repeal or amend laws passed during his leadership that they allege breach international human rights obligations. They specifically cited the 2020 Hong Kong National Security Law and the 2026 Ethnic Unity and Progress Law. Another demand was for China to confirm that individuals living outside the country, including 2007 US Congressional Gold Medal recipient His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, would be allowed to travel to China to reunite safely with family members and communities. The signatories further called on Xi to publicly affirm before arriving in the United States that members of his delegation and their associates based in the US would refrain from what the organisations described as transnational repression and collective punishment in response to protests and acts of resistance surrounding his visit. The organisations said that without such steps, Xi's visit would, in their view, deepen global public concern regarding the Chinese government's intentions on human rights. Concluding the letter, the advocacy organisations reaffirmed their commitment to working on behalf of the communities, principles and laws underlying their work and to making recommendations aimed at advancing human rights. (ANI)
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