China using families as 'hostages' to quash Uyghur dissent abroad

Uyghurs protest outside Chinese embassy

01 August 2023; MEMO: China is pressuring Uyghurs living abroad to spy on human rights campaigners by threatening families back home, the BBC reports.

According to the report, China is pressuring Uyghurs living abroad to spy on human rights campaigners, researchers told the BBC.

The Uyghurs, an ethnic Muslim minority group, have been subjected to widespread persecution in their home region of Xinjiang, China. To escape this oppression, many Uyghurs have sought refuge in various countries around the world.

Dr. David Tobin at the University of Sheffield said that all Uyghurs living outside China are victims of transnational repression.

"Research suggests this particular kind – controlling access to family members in the home country through video calls, in exchange for compliance overseas – is commonly used by Chinese police," the report claimed.