Here’s a rewritten version of the article, focusing on clarity, conciseness, and impact, while retaining the core data:
UK Parliament Urges Action Against China’s Transnational Repression and Interpol Abuse
A UK parliamentary committee has called for robust government action to counter China’s transnational repression and the misuse of Interpol’s red notice system. The report highlights the case of Simon Cheng, a former British Consulate employee in Hong Kong, who received asylum in the UK after alleging torture in mainland China and accusations of being a British spy. Despite severing ties with his family to protect them, Cheng’s relatives in Hong Kong were reportedly questioned by security police last year.
Cheng, now an exiled pro-democracy activist and founder of Hongkongers in Britain, emphasized the need for the UK government to implement the committee’s recommendations. These include collecting data on transnational repression, establishing a reporting hotline for victims, training police on identifying Chinese influence activities, and actively monitoring beijing’s operations within the UK.”Now it’s time for the government to follow through, not selectively, but comprehensively, to protect our essential rights, the integrity of our democracy, and the safety of everyone living in the UK,” Cheng stated.
The parliamentary committee also identified the abuse of Interpol’s red notices – international alerts for wanted individuals – as a prevalent tactic employed by China and other authoritarian regimes to target overseas critics. The report urges the UK government to “expose malicious, vexatious, and politically motivated use of Red Notices” and to pressure Interpol to reform its procedures and identify serial abusers.
While Interpol maintains robust processes to ensure red notices comply with its rules, the report notes that a special task force within the organization may approve requests for individuals with less public profiles, perhaps allowing politically motivated notices to bypass scrutiny. This concern is echoed by lawyers representing red notice targets, who suggest that the system can be exploited.An inquiry by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has previously revealed how China has utilized Interpol tools, including red notices, to pursue not only criminals but also business figures with political ties, regime critics, and members of persecuted religious minorities seeking refuge abroad. Reporters interviewed targets of China’s red notices and reviewed documents concerning nearly 50 individuals pursued by China through Interpol since 2016.
The investigation also uncovered the use of unethical tactics by Chinese authorities, such as the arrest of family members, to pressure targets. In one instance, Chinese officials reportedly asked Alibaba founder jack Ma to persuade a Singaporean citizen to return to China to testify in an unrelated case.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington D.C. stated that the Chinese government adheres to international law and the sovereignty of other countries, without commenting directly on the ICIJ’s findings.
