On February 13, Safeguard Defenders launched its permanent Information and Help Center to counter extraditions to the People's Republic of China (China).
Years in the making, it is by far the most comprehensive resource of its kind. A one-stop shop primarily aimed at legal practitioners defending individuals from extraditions to China, it also contains a dedicated information page for policymakers and media professionals willing to engage on the issue.
This resource center has been developed based on SD's own extensive experience in countering extraditions and deportations to China across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It further draws on extensive research outputs by SD, Expert Reports and witness testimonies delivered to Courts, and the ensuing interactions with prosecutors at the district, appeal, and Supreme court level. This experience is further compounded by the many consultations with lawyers defending their clients from forceful returns to China in various jurisdictions, as well as with academics specialized in the Chinese criminal justice system.
So far, we have had a 100% success rate in assisting to block extraditions and deportations in cases we have been directly involved in. The Stop Extradition to China - Information & Help Center is available on the right-hand side of our top navigation bar.
It is today available in all six United Nations languages (Arabic, Chinese (simplified), English, French, Spanish and Russian) with more languages to be added in the future.
A further section, based on reports on the overall human rights situation in China and our experience in supporting Chinese human rights defenders seeking asylum will soon be available as well.
In addition to the publicly-available information in this resource center, Safeguard Defenders has also produced a number of tailored expert reports, assisted legal counsel with supporting materials, provided evidence countering China's diplomatic assurances and - as needed - appeared in courts as expert witnesses during judicial extradition proceedings. These reports are not published as to not diminish their effectiveness, but are available to legal counsel upon request. Safeguard Defenders is also open to considering drafting specific expert reports in relevant languages or appearing as expert witnesses in court. For all such requests, please contact us via the Request Assistance section.
This new help center is a potential game changer, as it makes incredibly detailed information about China, in particular as it relates specifically to extradition issues, available, for free, in a variety of languages, for all legal counsel as well as the targets themselves.
Prior to this, this type of detailed information and evidence was available only to those with the means to hire extensive and very costly specialized legal defense teams and/or those who could and would reach out to SD directly for aid. This new center equalizes the legal counsel available to all those who need it.
In far too many instances we have seen ourselves successful in blocking extraditions when working with extensive legal teams hired by clients, only to see many others stand no chance in courts, as they have not had the resources for such support, and their lawyers have not reached out to external experts, SD or others, to seek the help required to provide convincing materials that should, by international law, forbid extraditions. This center seeks to remedy that by providing easily understood yet detailed information, including a major, 100+ page manual on how to prepare a successful defense against extradition requests from China.
Considering the state of the Chinese criminal justice system, extradition requests should fail when tested against international legal commitments. Whenever they are approved, those very norms and institutions are weakened. To protect the Rule of Law, extraditions to China must end.
It should be up to China to improve its commitment to legally binding minimum standards if it wants the benefits of extradition cooperation, not for the rest of the world to lower theirs.
The launch version is now available and will be continuously updated, with new sections being added in the near future.
Major updates will be announced as needed.
