BREAKING – Following Safeguard Defenders’ 110 Overseas investigation, on Sunday Spanish newspaper El Correo published direct corroboration from Chinese authorities that illegal policing operations are indeed being used to “convince” alleged criminal to return to China to face justice. The official from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Shanghai, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told El Correo: "The bilateral treaties are very cumbersome and Europe is reluctant to extradite to China. I don't see what is wrong with pressuring criminals to face justice…”
While the same official maintains such operations are not illegal under Chinese law – an issue extensively outlined in Safeguard Defenders’ earlier Involuntary Returns report -, the methods used are in evident breach of international human rights law and the territorial sovereignty of individual countries.
El Correo was also able to verify that at least two of the businesses identified in our report do in fact cooperate with the Chinese police. Alongside Serbia, Spain is one of the countries were official accounts of illegal policing operations had been described. The Spanish Ministry of Interior confirmed an investigation has been launched.
