Joint Letter to UK Prime Minister Ahead of Visit to China

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing ahead of your intended UK visit to China to urge you to engage with President Xi Jinping and his Government in the promotion of human rights as a matter of priority. Given widespread UK public concern that the UK Government is already making national security and human rights concessions to China for economic gain, such a state visit provides a crucial opportunity to demonstrate the UK government's stated commitment to "never shy away" from human rights matters relating to China. As a priority, Amnesty International and the undersigned 21 organisations urge you to address China's transnational repression of activists and students in the UK, crimes against humanity against Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang), and wrongfully imprisoned human rights defenders. It is also vital that every UK trade and investment deal with the government of China or Hong Kong is informed by a human rights impact assessment undertaken transparently, in consultation with key stakeholders.

On transnational repression, we welcome the UK government's recognition that it is not only a threat to national security but also a breach of human rights for those affected. Amnesty International has documented how the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities are using hybrid tactics, including arrest warrants and bounties, "harassment by proxy" targeting activists' families and surveillance to stifle overseas dissent. We encourage you to set out now, before any state visit, how the UK Government will strengthen its response to detect, deter and counter transnational repression. The UK must be firm in its message that efforts to silence activists and diaspora communities in the UK will not be tolerated.

It is now three years since the UK's welcome but unsuccessful attempt with others to secure a debate at the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in Xinjiang, following the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' conclusion that human rights violations against Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minority communities may constitute crimes against humanity, as evidenced also by Amnesty International. With no let up in the situation, as the Chinese government continues to intimidate and silence victims, maintaining repressive laws and policies in the region, we ask that you once again work with other UN Human Rights Council members to review the situation and ensure accountability.

Many human rights defenders are now imprisoned in China for peaceful activism and dissent, including Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti who was sentenced to life for baseless separatism charges, Chinese human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng and me-too activist, Chevening scholar Huang Xueqin. In Hong Kong, the recent conviction of British National Jimmy Lai exemplifies how journalism has been rebranded a crime. Your visit comes at a time when Lai's sentence is pending, while activists Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk yan have been put on trial for commemorating the Tiananmen crackdown. We ask that you raise their cases and call for the immediate release of all activists unjustly detained by the authorities.

Thank you for your attention on these important matters.

Yours Sincerely,

Kerry Moscogiuri Interim Chief Executive, Amnesty International UK

Fellow Signatories:

1. Assembly of Citizens' Representatives, Hong Kong
2. Bonham Tree Aid CIC
3. CSW
4. Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)
5. English PEN
6. FairSquare
7. Fortify Rights
8. Freedom House
9. Hong Kong Aid
10. Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights
11. Hongkongers in Britain (HKB)
12. Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor
13. Hong Kong Watch
14. Human Rights in China
15. International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
16. NGO DEI
17. PEN International
18. Reporters Without Borders
19. Stand with Hong Kong (SWHK)
20. Sutton Hong Kong Culture & Arts Society
21. Re-Water