DeepSeek AI Chatbot Denies Rights Abuses
As the DeepSeek AI chatbot has taken markets by storm in recent weeks, it has also been shown to regularly deny human rights abuses inside China.
Deutsche Welle found that when its journalists asked about the Tiananmen Square incident, the chatbot began with one different answer before saying: “Let’s talk about something else.”
Cybernews journalists found that when they asked about Xinjiang, the chatbot presented a smooth picture of economic and social progress. “In the Xinjiang region, the government has implemented a series of measures aimed at promoting economic and social development, maintaining social stability, fostering ethnic unity, and combating terrorism and extremism,” it said.
Uyghurs Remain Banned from Visiting ‘Sensitive’ Countries
China’s government continues to severely restrict Uyghurs from traveling to countries with large muslim populations, according to Human Rights Watch. Since the start of the Strike Hard Campaign, Chinese authorities have restricted Uyghur travel by confiscating passports. Now, while regulations have been relaxed slightly in recent times, documentation such as an invitation from a family member is still required for personal travel, and for business travel, trips to “sensitive countries” with large Muslim populations, such as Turkey, remain prohibited.
Damning 2024 Summary Notes Expanding Restrictions
China has “no independent civil society, no freedom of expression, association, assembly or religion, and human rights defenders and other perceived critics of the government are persecuted.” according to Human Rights Watch’s summary of the country’s 2024 human rights record.
The report detailed the fact that “Hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs remain imprisoned as part of the government’s crimes against humanity in the region,” among a host of other rights violations. But it also noted expanding restrictions elsewhere. “The Chinese government revised the State Secrets Law and published the implementing regulations, expanding the law’s already overly broad scope,” it said. “Previously tolerated topics, such as criticisms of the economy, have become off limits.”
Appeal Rejection Demonstrates ‘Deep Fear’ of Rights Defenders
After human rights lawyer Yu Wensheng’s (餘文生) appeal over a three-year prison sentence for “inciting subversion of state power” was rejected, Amnesty International has said the case demonstrates a “deep fear” of rights defenders.
At the end of October, Yu was sentenced to three years in prison and his wife, Xu Yan (許艷), was sentenced to one for accepting an invitation to meet with European Union Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo and another European diplomat. The conviction was for “inciting subversion of state power.”
“Yu Wensheng and Xu Yan have been imprisoned solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression and they must be released immediately and unconditionally,” Amnesty’s Interim Regional Deputy Director for Research Kate Schuetze said.
Thai Prime Minister’s China Visit Sparks Uyghur Fears
Rights groups fear that the visit of Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to China this week could see Thailand come under pressure to send back 48 Uyghur men to China.
The men have been held in a Thai immigration detention center since 2014, when they attempted to flee China via Thailand. Originally a part of a larger group of 350 people, the men are being held as illegal immigrants, rather than refugees. Of the others initially detained, 172 women and children were sent on to Turkey, while 109 people were sent back to China.
“The Thai authorities should immediately allow the United Nations refugee agency to screen the 48 Uyghurs and ensure their onward travel to a safe third country,” Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement.
Japan Says China Hacked Its Government and Tech Companies for Years
Japan’s government has released an alert claiming a Chinese hacking group has hacked dozens of Japanese government organizations, companies and individuals since 2019.
“[T]he cyberattack campaign by ‘MirrorFace’ is a systematic cyber operation suspected to be linked to China, primarily aimed at stealing information related to Japan’s national security and advanced technologies,” the alert said.
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