Taipei: Amnesty International Taiwan has issued a strong condemnation of Chinese authorities following the six-hour questioning of a Taiwanese national due to his previous employment with the human rights organization. The organization emphasized that supporting human rights should not be grounds for restricting an individual's freedom.
According to Focus Taiwan, Amnesty International Taiwan's Secretary-General, Chiu E-ling, released a statement on Thursday expressing concern over the incident. Chiu stated, "Caring about or supporting human rights is not a crime, nor should it become a reason for any government to question someone or restrict their personal freedom." She further warned that targeting individuals for their association with human rights groups undermines not only personal freedom and safety but also the broader civil society's ability to engage in public affairs.
The statement was issued following confirmation from China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) that the questioning had occurred. TAO spokesperson Zhang Han labeled Amnesty International as a "pawn of international anti-China forces," accusing the organization of distorting facts and spreading rumors. Zhang defended the actions of Chinese border authorities as "completely reasonable and lawful."
The situation unfolded last Saturday when the Taiwanese man's father posted on the social media platform Threads about his son's detainment in Shanghai. The post detailed how Chinese authorities questioned the man about his part-time work for Amnesty International Taiwan, focusing on issues related to China, Hong Kong, the Uyghurs, and Tibet, as well as his contacts with politicians and activists. The man clarified that he was not a core advocate and had left the organization, visiting China solely for personal reasons. Ultimately, he chose to return to Taiwan rather than enter China.
In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) confirmed that the case was consistent with similar incidents previously documented. During a briefing in Taipei, MAC spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh rejected the TAO's characterization of Amnesty International, stating, "Amnesty International is not anti-China. It opposes the Chinese Communist Party's authoritarian rule." Liang criticized Beijing's inability to tolerate criticism, describing the questioning as "quite shocking." He warned that such actions by China could deter Taiwanese citizens from participating in certain groups or activities, posing a "significant threat" to Taiwan's democratic system.