Protests Spark Across China Denouncing China’s Zero-COVID Policy

28-11-2022

Theresa Erna Jürgenssen

East Asia Human Rights Researcher

Global Human Rights Defence

On Thursday, November 24, a fire erupted in a residential building in Urumqi’s Jixiangyuan district, killing at least 10 people (Cheng et al., 2022). While the local authorities are denying this, many blame China’s zero-COVID policy for the deaths (Amnesty International, 2022); allegedly the exit doors of the burning building were locked and fire trucks was prevented from reaching the fire due to COVID-19 restrictions (Cheng et al., 2022). Consequently, protests have erupted all over China, in at least 13 cities according to Radio Free Asia, and have been described as the “biggest in China in decades” (Cheng et al., 2022). 

Online videos show various chants from protesters, demanding for the Chinese Communist Party to step down, for the lockdown to end, and for Xinjiang to be freed (Cheng et al., 2022). In several regions protesters started holding up white sheets of paper – a symbol meant to represent everything the protesters wanted to say but could not (Reuters, 2022). On Monday, the authorities eased some of the Covid-19 restrictions but, nevertheless, maintained their firm stance on the zero-COVID policy (The Associated Press, 2022). 

Amnesty International, the BBC, and Radio Free Asia have reported that local police have started to arrest protesters (Amnesty International, 2022; BBC, 2022; Cheng et al., 2022). Videos show protesters being dragged across the ground by the police and, according to the BBC, one of their journalists was beaten and arrested by Chinese police while he was covering the protests (BBC, 2022). The BBC also shared videos of local police forcing people to delete videos and pictures they have taken of the protests – with the punishment for refusing being detention (BBC, 2022).

The Deputy Regional Director of Amnesty International, Hana Young, responded to the protests with the following: “It is virtually impossible for people in China to protest peacefully without facing harassment and prosecution” (Amnesty International, 2022). Ms. Young warned that in the light of China’s history the government will most likely respond to the protests with censorship, surveillance, police force, mass arrests, and long prison sentences against peaceful protesters. She, therefore, urged the authorities not to penalise the protestors but listen to them, allowing them to “express their thoughts freely and to protest peacefully” (Amnesty International, 2022). 

From a human rights perspective, the situation warrants grave concern. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) protects the right to life and liberty (Article 3), the right not to be subjected to arbitrary arrest (Article 9), the right to freedom of movement (Article 13), the right to freedom of opinion and expression (Article 19), and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly (Article 20) [1]. All these rights are likely violated by China’s policies and actions. China would also be violating the corresponding rights safeguarded by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [2] if it had ratified said instrument. However, it could be argued that China’s zero-COVID policy has in the past violated several of the rights protected by the International Covenant on Social Economic and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) [3]. Moreover, the deaths in Urumqi due to severe Covid-19 containment measures could contravene Article 12(2)(d) of the ICESCR, which requires states to create “conditions which would assure to all medical services and medical attention in event of sickness”. 

Notes:

[1] The UDHR is a non-legally binding instrument and not a binding treaty. 

[2] The rights would be protected by Articles 6, 9, 11, 19, and 21 ICCPR. 

[3] Ratified by China in 2001 (OHCHR).

Sources and further reading:

Amnesty International. (2022, November 27). China: Government must not detain peaceful protesters as unprecedented demonstrations break out across the country. Amnesty International. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/11/china-lockdown-protests-covid/. 

BBC. (2022, November 28). Detentions as China seeks to end widespread Covid protests. BBC. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-asia-63776816. 

Cheng, R., Huang, X., Cheng, R. (2022, November 27). Angered by lockdowns, protests spread in China amid calls for Xi’s ouster. Radio Free Asia. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-protests-11272022150843.html. 

Cheng, R., Hoshur, S. (2022, November 26). Deadly fire in Xinjiang prompts protests across China over strict COVID lockdowns. Radio Free Asia. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/fire-protests-11262022104721.html. 

OHCHR. (n.d.). Ratification Status for China. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx?CountryID=36&Lang=EN. 

Reuters. (2022, November 26). Huge COVID protests erupt in China’s Xinjiang after deadly fire. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14778196. 

Reuters. (2022, November 28). Blank sheets of paper become symbol fo defiance in Chian protests. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14779115. 

The Asahi Shimbun. (2022, November 28). ‘The government is mistaken’: Protesters take a stand in China. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14779246. 

The Associated Press. (2022, November 25). 10 killed in apartment fire in northwest China’s Xinjiang. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14777405. 

The Associated Press. (2022, November 28). China affirms zero-COVID stance, eases rules after protests. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved on November 28, 2022, from https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14779342.