“China Must Release Detained Labor Rights Advocates”, 25 July 2019

The Chinese government has continued to persecute labor organizers and labor rights activists one year after suppressing a labor strike in the southern city of Shenzhen. Since authorities first began detaining protesting workers at the Jasic Technology factory and their supporters on July 27, 2018, the government has ramped up its anti-labor campaign by detaining and harassing labor rights advocates, including factory workers, activists, researchers, NGO workers, social workers, and media editors beyond the Shenzhen Jasic strike. In a clear demonstration of the Chinese government’s continuous failure to protect socio-economic rights, including workers’ rights to fair wages, safe working conditions, or independent trade unions, authorities have targeted labor organizers and those who have spoken up in support of workers in order to punish and silence them.

As China’s development “model” continues to deepen socio-economic inequalities and ferment social discontent, there have been numerous workers’ strikes and protests for environmental and other social safety-net protection in many Chinese cities…

CHRD urges the Chinese government to release the detained labor rights activists. These detentions are arbitrary because authorities detained these individuals in retaliation for their peaceful exercise of the rights to peaceful assembly, free expression and free association through organizing an independent labor union. Enforced disappearances violate Chinese criminal code and international human rights standard. The detainees have been denied their rights to a fair trial and legal counsel. Those forced into disappearance are at risk of being subjected to torture…