Chinese students in Australia fear reprisals at home if they speak out, Human Rights Watch says
Researchers found that some students still felt that they lived in a system similar to that under the Chinese Communist Party
By Daniel Hurst / The Guardian
Chinese students in Australia are afraid to speak out on politically sensitive issues because of potential repercussions for relatives back home, Human Rights Watch told an Australian parliamentary inquiry on Thursday last week.
The group said that its ongoing research into academic freedom in Australia had found anxiety and loneliness among Chinese students, with some engaging in self-censorship to avoid a backlash from Beijing.