How to Support Human Rights In China
October 11, 2010
Image: © Digital Journal
NOW THAT LIU XIAOBO IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, and continues to be at the forefront of the news cycle, it’s time to think about what we can do to support press freedom, civil liberties, and political reform in China. Here are English-language resources to learn how to advance these and other human rights issues in China:
Independent Rights Groups
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is a network of Chinese and international activists working at the grassroots level. They publish a bi-weekly human rights briefing including news on citizens’ actions inside China.
Human Rights in China (HRIC) is an international NGO founded by Chinese students and scholars in March 1989. The group practices advocacy and outreach within China and internationally, publishing reports and case studies on issues like China’s legal system. Also available online is HRIC’s in-depth quarterly journal, China Rights Forum.
The Dui Hua Foundation‘s mission is based on dialogue (dui-hua in Mandarin) between the U.S. and Chinese governments in order to gain the release of political prisoners. The foundation maintains a detailed prisoner database and has had significant success in securing prisoner releases.
Legal Reform Activists
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group , based in Hong Kong, works to promote the rule of law in China. The group monitors the activities of China’s civil and human rights lawyers and works to ensure their freedom and safety, especially in the face of the government’s increased crackdown on lawyers. You can also learn about lawyers who licenses are revoked or who have been disbarred and detained for taking sensitive cases.
Media, Press Freedom and the Internet
The China Media Project documents media reform and the state of press freedom in China. The group is based out of the Journalism and Media Studies Centre at the University of Hong Kong. The site includes a newswire, a section on political cartoons, and current stories on the state of media in China by journalists working in China.
