Chinese Dissident Dong Guangping Detained in South Korea After Sea Escape
Dong Guangping, a prominent Chinese human rights activist, was found by the South Korean coast guard in waters off Taean on Monday night, following an arduous escape from China in a motorised rubber boat. The 68-year-old, who has endured multiple imprisonments in China for his activism, including commemorating the Tiananmen Square crackdown, is now under investigation for suspected immigration violations.
Reports from Canada-based activist Sheng Xue indicate that Mr Dong departed from Weifang, Shandong province, enduring over 30 hours at sea before being rescued after a fishing boat spotted him. This marks at least his fourth attempt to flee China, with previous efforts resulting in his forced repatriation.
Human Rights in China (HRIC), a New York-based NGO, has urged South Korean authorities to adhere to international human rights obligations. They argue that returning Mr Dong to China would expose him to "a grave risk of persecution and torture" and have called for him to be granted political asylum or safe passage to Canada, where his family resides. HRIC emphasised that a man of Mr Dong's age being driven to such a perilous escape underscores the severe human rights situation in China.
Mr Dong's history of activism includes being dismissed from the police force in 1999 for signing a Tiananmen commemoration petition. He was subsequently jailed in 2001 and 2014 for "inciting subversion of state power" and participating in further commemoration events. His prior escape attempts, including a 2015 incident where Thai authorities deported him to China despite UN refugee status, and subsequent attempts via swimming and fleeing to Vietnam, highlight the persistent risks faced by dissidents.
