Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières
Fang Ran, a 26-year-old Chinese citizen, was arrested in late August in mainland China. Since then, his relatives have had no news of him. According to his father, he is being held without trial and without access to a lawyer, in a secret location.
This type of six-month solitary confinement is often used against political dissidents and human rights activists.
Fang Ran, a PhD student in sociology at the University of Hong Kong, had been investigating the working conditions and rights of workers in factories at Shenzhen, the huge metropolis bordering Hong Kong, for six months.
Since 2013, and even more so since 2018, any independent activity concerning labour is firmly repressed. By doing so, the government in Beijing hopes to put an end to the strikes that periodically shake the country. For this reason, it leads a frontal offensive against any form of independent activity of employees to defend their rights.
In this context it perceives any academic work concerning labour that is not carried out under its tight control as a potential threat.
The Union syndicale Solidaires protests against this infringement of academic freedom essential for research.
At the very least, Fang Ran should immediately have access to a lawyer of his choice to defend himself, and should be released before a possible trial.
The Union syndicale Solidaires also renews its full solidarity with employees trying to assert their rights.
Paris, September 3, 2021
Related article :
http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article59343
http://www.europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article59452
https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/hong-kong-university-phd-student-fang-ran-detained-in-china/
https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/179729/HKU-student-arrested-in-mainland
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ac2-09012021070526.html (CHINESE)
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/researcher-labor-09022021090037.html
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