The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have joined human rights groups worldwide to condemn Beijing over the reported arrests of nearly 60 human rights lawyers and dissidents across China, calling on Beijing to stop human rights abuses.
“Foreign media outlets have reported that during recent days, dozens of lawyers and rights activists across China have been arrested, summoned, questioned and deprived of freedom of movement,” DPP spokesperson Wang Min-sheng (王閔生) said yesterday. “The whereabouts of several still remain unknown.”
“We hereby express our serious concern over these incidents and call on Beijing to stop moves to restrict freedom,” Wang said.
The Mainland Affairs Council should protest to Beijing to show the government’s firm stance on the values of human rights, democracy and freedom, Wang added.
“Economic development brings improvements in living standards and it is natural for people to start pursuing democracy, freedom and human rights,” Wang said. “The trend cannot be stopped, and those in power should listen and follow the will of the people instead of trying to repress it. Otherwise, the regime will eventually lose the hearts of the people.”
The KMT also called on China to protect civil rights.
KMT spokesperson Yang Wei-chung (楊偉中) said Beijing has been increasing restrictions on human rights advocates, the freedom of speech, the Internet and news outlets, as well as putting more effort into controlling dissidents.
The KMT is very concerned about the developments, Yang said, calling on Beijing to implement constitutional democracy and protect civil rights, adding that this would help to enhance mutual understanding and trust across the Taiwan Strait, shortening the psychological distance between the two sides.
There has been no word from Beijing on the arrests and state media have not reported them.
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