Political Prisoners in China: Trends and Implications for U.S. Policy

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China will conduct a hearing on political prisoners in China.

Recent trials of scholars, activists, lawyers, and others in China have shined a spotlight on the Chinese government's use of detention and imprisonment to squelch dissent or advance government objectives. Witnesses will examine whether political imprisonment is on the rise in China, and whether the profile of political prisoners in China today is changing compared to years past. How does the threat of political imprisonment affect the work of people and organizations who are engaged in human rights advocacy or who are involved in commercial activity in China? What opportunities have Chinese citizens lost as a result of the chilling effects of political imprisonment? Should the U.S. government be more concerned about political imprisonment in China, and what implications does it have for U.S. policy?

Panelists:
Jerome A. Cohen, Professor, New York University School of Law; Co-director, U.S.-Asia Law Institute; and Adjunct Senior Fellow for Asia Studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Joshua Rosenzweig, Senior Manager for Research and Hong Kong Operations, The Dui Hua Foundation
Wan Yanhai, Director of Beijing Aizhixing Institute, expert on HIV/AIDS, human rights and civil society in China
Sophie Richardson, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch

All CECC hearings are open to the public. No RSVP is necessary.

Visit the Commission's Web site at www.cecc.gov for analysis of recent developments and other resources related to the development of the rule of law and human rights in China.