 |
| No information was provided in the report on the fate of Taiwanese extradited to China, but the group noted that at least two were shown on Chinese TV giving public apologies. Beijing argued that Taiwanese suspects in some overseas cases should be extradited to China as their victims included mainland Chinese. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] A new report by a human rights group has found around 600 Taiwanese arrested overseas have been deported to China in recent years. BBC reported that Safeguard Defenders says the practice was being "used as a tool to undermine Taiwan's sovereignty".
Taiwan, which considers itself an independent nation, has long insisted that Taiwanese arrested abroad should be sent back to the island. But Beijing sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that is a part of China. Safeguard Defenders said the deportations, which is collated from media reports between 2016 and 2019, were "being used to bolster Beijing's influence abroad" and accused China of "hunting" down these Taiwanese. The Spain-based group emphasized that the Taiwanese sent to China "have no roots and no families", and warned that they’re at risk of persecution and severe human rights abuses.
It argues several nations are breaching international human rights laws in following extradition treaties with Beijing and singled out Spain and Kenya for extraditing the most number of Taiwanese people to China. In response to the latest report, Taiwan's government was quoted by AFP as saying China "does not have jurisdiction" over Taiwanese arrested or convicted abroad, and that Beijing aims to "show its sovereignty over Taiwan".
