Senator Markey Statement on the Wrongful Detention of Dr. Youlin Chen

Washington (July 14, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement on the detention of Massachusetts resident and academic Dr. Youlin Chen by the Chinese government.

"The wrongful detainment of innocent civilians is never justifiable. It is a morally bankrupt tool that authoritarian governments use to sidestep the rule of law, often in service of political wins and always at the devastating expense of civilian lives.

"My constituent, Dr. Youlin Chen, is one of those civilians. Dr. Chen has been wrongfully detained by the Chinese government since November 2024. He is a prominent seismologist who has worked collaboratively with Chinese seismologists for years, and his work is highly respected. He has never held a security clearance, and his work is transparent, academic in nature, and publicly reported and attributed. As academics and researchers from the United States and China have long collaborated to the mutual benefit of our countries, the treatment of Dr. Chen has undermined that partnership and may deter other academics from engaging with their colleagues in China.

"To be very clear, Dr. Chen has not been convicted of a crime. Dr. Chen has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest and did not have access to his lawyer for 434 days. He has also not spoken to his family since his arrest. I am deeply concerned about Dr. Chen's safety and well-being.

"I have been working closely with Dr. Chen's family since his arrest. I urged Secretary Marco Rubio more than once to designate Dr. Chen as wrongfully detained under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. I am glad this designation has finally been made. I have personally engaged with Ambassador Xie Feng on Dr. Chen's case and urged him to work with his colleagues in Beijing to secure Dr. Chen's release. I will continue to do everything within my power to advocate for Dr. Chen's immediate release.

"Wrongful detainment is a cowardly practice with no winners. Today and every day, the United States must condemn governments and organizations that perpetrate this crime and work hard on behalf of U.S. citizens and families who have fallen victim. I applaud the courage of Dr. Chen's family for making this difficult decision to go public. It is my hope that increased attention on his unjust detention will force the Chinese government to do the right thing and release Dr. Chen and allow him to return to his family in Massachusetts.

"I am praying for Dr. Youlin Chen and his family today."

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