The secret “police stations” are part of China’s campaign to pressure its citizens living abroad.
of the United States The federal police, the FBI, said on Thursday it was concerned about secret “police stations” set up by China. This is reported by the news agency Reuters.
The European human rights organization Safeguard Defenders published in September the reportaccording to which China has established dozens of “police stations” in more than twenty countries over the course of a year and a half.
The stations are said to be part of the People’s Republic’s influence campaign, with which it tries to pressure Chinese citizens it accuses of crimes to return to their homeland.
There are the most secret police stations in Europe, and the Netherlands has the most of the European countries, where there are as many as nine of them. The stations are said to operate, for example, in the premises of Chinese associations and not in connection with Chinese embassies and consulates.
the FBI manager Christopher Wray spoke Thursday at a hearing of the federal Senate Homeland Security Committee. He said that the FBI is aware of the existence of secret police stations and confirmed that there are stations in major US cities.
According to Wray, establishing stations abroad is outrageous. He accused them of violating sovereignty and evading standard judicial and official cooperation. He said the FBI was investigating the legality of the stations.
According to Wray, the United States has filed several lawsuits accusing the Chinese regime of harassing, tracking, monitoring and blackmailing Chinese dissidents living in the United States.
Safeguard Defenders – organization’s report, Chinese dissidents have been lured to secret police stations by claiming that the reason for the visit is, for example, renewing a passport or visa. At the station, however, they have been required to return to China and have been threatened, for example, with difficulties for their relatives living in China.
China has denied the existence of the stations. It has claimed that the stations are offices that assist Chinese citizens in processing documents.
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