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High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet conducted a rare visit to Guangzhou, and the cities of Urumqi and Kashgar in the Uyghur region, as leaked 'Xinjiang Police Files' provide new evidence of high-level acquiescence in Beijing's repression against Uyghurs. Her visit was regrettably marked by the absence of strong public diplomacy and concrete steps towards a regular monitoring of China's human rights situation.

3 May is World Press Freedom Day, a reminder that the universal right to freedom of expression and the right to seek, receive and impart information is both precious and precarious.

The Chinese authorities weaponise laws to target dissidents in the name of ‘national security’: journalists are no exception. On World Press Freedom Day, ISHR calls on the authorities to release independent journalist Huang Xueqin and her friend, labour rights activist Wang Jianbing. Both were unjustly held for 226 days.

High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet must ensure her announced UN visit is credible, unfettered and meaningful, and that it is preceded by the prompt release of the much-awaited UN report on serious violations in Xinjiang, the Uyghur region.

As UN experts and governments reiterate concerns at widespread human rights violations across China, UN High Commissioner announces in principle agreement to visit the country, while failing to release long-awaited report on serious violations, some amounting to crimes against humanity, in Xinjiang, the Uyghur region.

The frequency of public security organs using ‘Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location’ (hereafter: RSDL) is not high. So why do public security organs sometimes use a detention method that is so time-consuming, resources- and labor-intensive? Wouldn't it be better to put the suspect directly in a detention center? In what types of cases would the police prefer to use RSDL?

For nearly a decade, the CCP government has tightened policies in the public sphere and political sphere, has taken an iron fist in repressing civil society and political activities that may affect the stability of the regime, and has vowed to strangle any opposition forces. In the process of eliminating potential opposition forces, criminal charges are today the most commonly used. ’Residential Surveillance at a Designated Location’ (hereafter: RSDL) as written in the ‘Criminal Procedure Law’ is often used to make political prisoners disappear from public view during the criminal process. Yet, in doing so, the system of RSDL has once again attracted people's attention.

In 2012 China amended its Criminal Procedure Law, including a new provision in Article 73 that allowed for a practice called "Residential surveillance at a designated location" (known in short as RSDL). Chinese lawyers share their views on this system.

RSDL is undoubtably a form of enforced disappearance, as well as arbitrary detention. It has no legality and runs counter to international conventions, it should be abolished. In the exercise of justice in China, RSDL has been abused, leading to serious torture and other grave human rights violations. The international community should pay great attention to this.

The ‘Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers’ are the internationally-recognised principles protecting lawyers' rights. But in China, these principles are greatly disregarded, either on paper or in practice.

The ‘Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers’ are the internationally-recognised basic principles protecting lawyers' rights. But in China, these principles are greatly disregarded, either on paper or in practice, turning into laughable formalism.

In China’s society where traditional values prevail, LGBTI persons, groups and interests are not well protected by national laws.