Human Rights Watch commemorated the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, emphasizing that survivors continue to face violations and repression from the Chinese government to this day.
For 35 years, the Chinese government has refused to acknowledge responsibility for the killings or provide compensation to the victims’ families. Each year, individuals who attempt to commemorate the anniversary face arrest and persecution.
Maya Wang, China director at Human Rights Watch, stated that the Chinese government seeks to erase the memory of the Tiananmen massacre across the country. However, 35 years later, the government has not been able to “extinguish the flames” of those who risked everything to advocate for democracy and human rights in China.
Human Rights Watch has documented continued abuses by the Chinese government, including the arrest of witnesses to the massacre and those participating in anniversary commemorations, such as lawyers, activists, and student leaders. Additionally, Chinese activists living abroad have reportedly been targeted through abduction and other forms of unmonitored repression.
Despite domestic and international calls for justice, the Chinese government has consistently ignored them. It has also evaded some of the sanctions imposed by the European Union and the United States, leading to further escalation of human rights violations in Beijing.
Human Rights Watch has issued several demands to the Chinese government, including respecting the right to freedom of expression, ending the arbitrary detention of those who challenge the official narrative of the Tiananmen massacre, allowing an independent public investigation into the massacre and its aftermath, and publishing the results. They also call for the unconditional return of Chinese citizens exiled due to their involvement in the events, among other demands.
What Happened in Tiananmen?
An unknown number of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators were killed in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, and thousands were arrested in cities across China, following protests that began in April and culminated on the night of June 3-4, 1989.
The demonstrators called for political and economic reforms, but Chinese authorities responded with military force to suppress the movement. To this day, the government has not officially acknowledged the full extent of the massacre.
The events began in April 1989, when mourners gathered in Tiananmen Square following the death of liberal Communist Party leader Hu Yaobang. By May 13, hundreds of students had begun a hunger strike, demanding talks with Communist Party leaders.
On May 19, party leaders visited the student protesters, prompting an end to the hunger strike. However, in the following weeks, protests resumed and spread across China, with demonstrators calling for an end to corruption and demanding political and economic reforms.
On the night of June 3-4, the government deployed tens of thousands of armed troops and hundreds of armored vehicles to Beijing’s city center, aiming to “restore order.” As the forces neared the square, they opened fire on crowds of demonstrators and bystanders without warning.
Following the military crackdown, the Chinese authorities arrested thousands of people involved in the protests. Many were tortured, imprisoned, or executed after unfair trials on charges of “counter-revolutionary” crimes.
Discussion of the Tiananmen massacre remains a taboo subject in China, and efforts to commemorate the event continue to be suppressed by the government.
Same Justice Human Organization continue to demand that the massacre be thoroughly investigated, perpetrators held accountable, and the families of victims fairly compensated. The Organization also stress the importance of exercising the right to free expression in accordance with human rights laws and emphasize the need to protect demonstrators and their rights from government violations.
