Press Release
186 Groups Call Upon Harvard to Respond to Transnational Repression Concerns
July 22, 2024

Cambridge, MA—On July 1, 2024, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party launched a probe into Harvard University after student protestors were violently dragged, interrogated, and followed by Chinese individuals during an April protest of Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng’s speech at the Harvard Kennedy School. In a letter to Harvard University’s President Garber, the Select Committee expressed concerns about transnational repression by the Chinese government and the potential involvement of international students from China in acts of harassment and intimidation, requesting that Harvard provide it with a briefing and answers to a series of questions.
A joint statement, organized by the Coalition of Students Resisting the CCP and signed by 186 organizations from across the world – including notable NGOs Amnesty International USA and Freedom House – called upon President Garber to respond publicly and thoroughly to these questions and to commit to addressing and combating transnational repression by the Chinese government. On Monday, Harvard students and youth activists dropped off the letter at President Garber’s office in Massachusetts Hall.
From Cosette Wu, Harvard student, Co-Director of Coalition of Students Resisting the CCP:
“A large part of the reason I came to Harvard was to pursue my education in an environment that would help me become a better advocate for human rights and justice. After the protest, I felt extremely unsafe on campus. The Harvard administration’s deafening lack of response sends a clear message that the University is not a safe place for those who advocate for human rights.”
From Tsering Yangchen, Harvard student, Co-President of Students for a Free Tibet Boston Chapter:
“65 years ago China’s brutal military invasion and colonization of Tibet denied millions of Tibetans the opportunity to pursue an education. Today, China’s transnational repression on university campuses threatens to do the same if left unchecked. Speaking out against the genocide of our people should not invite assault, intimidation, and harrassment from pro-CCP actors on campus. We must urge Harvard to respond to these concerns and ensure the safety of its communities.”