According to Human Rights Watch, Chinese authorities have systematically been renaming villages in Xinjiang, removing names with Uyghur and Islamic cultural meanings in favour of those reflecting Communist Party ideology. A June report identified 630 such changes from 2009 to 2023. Human rights experts have raised concerns that the move is part of the Chinese government's broader efforts to erase the cultural and religious expression of Uyghurs. The Chinese government has, over the past few years, denied allegations of abuse and repression in the region.

Sources: Nikkei Asia, Human Rights Watch, The Guardian, International IDEA (1), International IDEA (2), Al Jazeera

In follow-up to last month's February report, Hong Kong's government passed the new national security bill (Article 3) on 19 March. The bill came into effect on 23 March. Human Rights Watch stated that "the new law will usher Hong Kong into a new era of broad-based oppression."

Sources: International IDEA, Human Rights Watch , South China Morning Post

Hong Kong’s government is preparing to introduce a new national security bill (Article 3). Critics note that the bill imposes more severe punishments for a broader range of crimes, including potential life imprisonment for treason, extending the scope of the 2020 National Security Law and intensifying the crackdown on civil society, independent media, and the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. The legislation also aims to enhance oversight of foreign political entities and organizations in Hong Kong, prohibiting “external interference.” Human rights experts have widely criticized the bill for its broad and vague provisions, which they argue could significantly restrict civil liberties. The Hong Kong government contends that the law will only affect “a small minority of disloyal residents,” citing one month-long public consultations that allegedly showed popular support for the legislation – a claim disputed by rights experts.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, The Associated Press, South China Morning Post, Reuters

On 10 December, Hong Kong held its first district council elections since undergoing an electoral overhaul guided by Beijing earlier this year. The overhaul effectively excluded pro-democracy candidates and screened candidates based on the criterion of “patriotism.” Simultaneously, the number of seats democratically chosen by the public was reduced from 452 to 88. The local election resulted in an unprecedented low voter turnout of 27.5 per cent, in stark contrast to the 71.2 per cent turnout in the previous district election held in 2019, which saw opposition candidates winning by a landslide. The majority of seats this year were won by candidates aligned with pro-Beijing interests. Foreign observers and the European parliament characterized the election as “neither free nor fair” due to the exclusion of opposition representation.

Sources: Financial Times, Associated Press, South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Free Press