HRW Urges China to Release Taiwanese Activist Yang Chih Yuan

Human Rights Watch calls for the immediate release of Yang Chih Yuan, a Taiwanese political activist imprisoned by China. Yang's closed-door trial, lack of due process, and Beijing's stringent judiciary guidelines have sparked international criticism, highlighting increasing tensions between China and Taiwan.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called on the Chinese government to immediately release and overturn the conviction of Yang Chih Yuan, a Taiwanese political activist. Yang was convicted in China on August 26 for engaging in political activities in Taiwan.

Yang's trial in China was conducted behind closed doors, with the announcement of his sentence delayed until September 6. Judicial authorities have yet to release any trial documents or evidence. Maya Wang, HRW's associate China director, stated, "The Chinese government's prosecution of Yang Chih-yuan for exercising his basic rights in Taiwan has effectively criminalized being Taiwanese. The combination of a national security law and an extreme prison sentence appears to be Beijing's latest effort to intimidate the Taiwanese people and reinforce its sovereignty claims over Taiwan."

HRW further alleged that Chinese authorities repeatedly violated Yang's due process rights. According to a Chinese state-owned media report cited by HRW, Yang was placed under "residential surveillance in a designated location" after his detention in August 2022, a form of detention previously condemned by HRW and United Nations human rights experts as "tantamount to enforced disappearance."

In June, two months before Yang's trial, new judiciary guidelines issued by China's government made all activities related to Taiwanese independence a criminal offense. Peaceful activities such as teaching about Taiwan's democracy or promoting its inclusion in the United Nations could now be construed as criminal acts. The guidelines allow for in absentia trials and the death penalty for severe violations, contravening international law, according to HRW.

Yang was reportedly held incommunicado for two years without access to legal counsel or family, violating international human rights law. Chinese laws permit authorities to deny national security detainees access to family and lawyers, increasing the risk of torture and other mistreatment, HRW reported. Yang was detained in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province on August 3, 2022, and formally arrested in April 2023 for alleged 'separatist' activities.

At the time of his detention, Yang was not engaged in political activities in China, but was working as a teacher and playing the strategy game Go, according to Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council. HRW noted that Yang's political activities included founding the Taiwan National Party and advocating for Taiwan's U.N. inclusion between 2008 and 2020.

(With inputs from agencies.)