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

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

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 legal rights to free expression and peaceful protest here.”

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 in prison for participating in events, including two solidarity demonstrations for China’s ethnic minorities.

Finlay also called on the Albanian government to launch a dedicated parliamentary inquiry into transnational repression to understand the scale of the problem.

“(Australia needs the inquiry to) hear directly from those affected and identify concrete steps to better protect human rights on Australian soil,” Finlay said. “Such an inquiry would send a clear message about our commitment to protecting democratic freedoms in Australia.”

Chinese international student activists have also expressed concern for their safety following the case.

John*, a Chinese student who came to Sydney to study two years ago, told Guardian Australia he was “shocked but not surprised” by the student’s arrest.

“I feel sad for the student,” said John, who asked to use a pseudonym because of security concerns.

In China, protest as a form of free speech is often subject to heavy surveillance by authorities, regardless of its nature. John, who took part in rallies in Sydney, said he was “mentally prepared” for retaliation, even as he described the agenda of the protests he attended as “relatively safe” and not directly critical of China.

“The case has made me a bit more concerned about my safety when taking part in protests in Sydney,” he said.

Emma, ​​who asked to be identified only by her first name and knew the arrested student through an anti-China Covid-lockdown protest in Sydney, said she was shocked to hear the news about the student.

She called on the Australian government to offer more support to international students who are acting for democracy despite the risks of political repression.

“It takes a lot of risk for a Chinese citizen to participate in (protests) and the Chinese Australian community has conflicting views around China,” Emma said. “Some are very pro-Chinese Communist parties, while some are very critical of it.

“The Australian government needs to provide more support to those brave enough to stand up and speak out against an authoritarian government.”

Emma said she understands it can be difficult for universities to act if a student has already been subjected to foreign oppression. “But (universities) may be able to offer more support to those (at risk of persecution) to seek asylum in Australia.”

Grace Street, the president of the University of Sydney’s student representative council, criticized the university and the Australian government for “grossly failing in their duty of care to students, both past and present”.

“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 injustice in this country,” she told Guardian Australia.

“International students generally feel vulnerable, exploited and unsupported.”

Dr Alison Barnes, the national president of the National Tertiary Education Union, has called for an update to university guidelines on foreign interference “to keep pace with a rapidly changing geopolitical environment”.

The then-coalition government introduced the guidelines in 2021 after growing concerns about foreign interference on campus and a Human Rights Watch report that found pro-democracy Chinese students faced intimidation, harassment and fear of reprisals.

“Given the guidelines expressly emphasize the importance of protecting academic freedom – a cornerstone of universities – from outside influence, it is critical that universities do all they can to uphold it,” Barnes told Guardian Australia.

Justin Bassi, the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and a former chief of staff to Marise Payne, who was involved in setting up the government-led university task force on foreign interference, said “governments and especially university administrators cannot pretend that their relations with China are normal and only involve an economic partner.”

But he added that there was an individual responsibility for Chinese nationals to look after their own safety as it was “very difficult” for the Australian government to prevent them from being detained in China.

“Australia’s security and the safety of those living in Australia is not helped by silence on China’s human rights abuses.”

* Name has been changed