Student’s alleged jailing in China over Australian pro-democracy protests sparks calls for inquiry

Australia’s human rights commissioner has said the Chinese student who was allegedly jailed for six years by Chinese authorities for joining protests in Sydney underscores the “very real and growing risks of transnational repression affecting people in Australia – including international students”.

The University of Sydney student went missing in December 2024 after returning to China, and was allegedly charged with secession and sentenced to six years’ jail for joining events including two solidarity protests for China’s ethnic minorities.

Commissioner Lorraine Finlay told Guardian Australia that while she could not comment on the circumstances of individual cases “no one should fear punishment abroad for exercising their lawful rights to free expression and peaceful protest here”. Finlay also called on the Albanese government to introduce a dedicated parliamentary inquiry into transnational repression to understand the scope of the problem, in order to send a clear message about the government’s commitment to protecting democratic freedoms in Australia.

Grace Street, the president of the University of Sydney’s student representative council, has criticised the university and the Australian government for “sorely failing in their duty of care for students, both past and present”, stating that the university refusing to comment on the matter means that all students suffer and are implicitly told that the university will not support their freedoms and rights to protest against injustice in this country, making international students vulnerable and exploited.

Chinese international student activists have also expressed concerns over their safety after the case. Many Chinese students told Guardian Australia that in China, protest as a form of free speech is often subject to heavy surveillance from authorities, regardless of its nature. Most said that they had been “mentally prepared” for retribution, even if the agenda of the protests they attended was not directly critical of China. Some students also had pointed out that it takes a lot of risks for a Chinese national to participate in [protests] and the Chinese Australian community has conflicted views around China, and this case proves that the Australian government should offer more support to those who are brave to stand up and speak against an authoritarian government.