Hong Kong activist Zhang Xinyan arrested in Thailand
Hong Kong activist Zhang Xinyan, a wanted member of the overseas group Hong Kong Parliament, has been arrested in Thailand for overstaying her visa and is reportedly set to be deported to mainland China.
According to the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Parliament is an overseas pro-democracy activist group mainly founded and run by self-exiled Hong Kong activists.
Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand researcher for Human Rights Watch, posted on X yesterday, May 9, saying Zhang had been arrested by Thai authorities.
According to him, 55 year old Zhang was wanted by the Hong Kong and Chinese governments, had her passport cancelled, and faced a HK$200,000 (around 822,440 baht) bounty over allegations linked to national security.
Sunai warned that forcing Zhang back to China could place her at serious risk and may violate international law and Thailand’s anti-torture and enforced disappearance legislation.
Chinese media outlets also reported that the Hong Kong national security police wanted Zhang arrested in Thailand.
Reports said she was detained over alleged visa overstay offences and working without proper documentation, and was expected to appear in court yesterday.
The Hong Kong Parliament group issued a statement condemning the arrest as another example of what it described as transnational repression by the Chinese government. The group urged Thailand not to deport Zhang to mainland China, citing concerns for her personal safety if returned.
Zhang, a Falun Gong practitioner, part of a spiritual movement banned in China, was reportedly accused last year of “subversion under Hong Kong national security law” after being elected as a member of the Hong Kong Parliament group.
Hong Kong authorities later listed her and 18 others as wanted over alleged national security offences.
The Hong Kong Parliament group said Zhang received refugee documentation from the UN refugee agency in Bangkok in July last year after her Chinese passport was cancelled. The documents were reportedly valid until January 2 next year.
According to statements from the Hong Kong Parliament group, Zhang remained in Thailand despite being effectively stateless because she had no valid passport allowing her to leave the country.
The group also questioned why a UNHCR document holder could face deportation and added that Zhang’s alleged work violation was related to hosting an interview programme on YouTube.
Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, reported Amarin TV. Under Thai law, refugees and asylum seekers can still face immigration charges despite holding documents issued by the United Nations refugee agency.
In similar news, A Thai court ordered the extradition of Vietnamese activist Y Quynh Bdap to Vietnam, despite concerns he could face danger after already being sentenced in absentia to 10 years in prison on terrorism charges.
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