US imposes visa restrictions on Chinese officials who intimidate rights activists and dissidents
March 22, 2022, 3:35 am

US imposes visa restrictions on Chinese officials who intimidate rights activists and dissidents

US is imposing visa restrictions on Chinese officials in order to punish Beijing for alleged repression, intimidation and harassment of human rights activists and dissidents, both in China and around the world (File photo: Pixabay)

The We For News reported, the US State Department said on Monday that US is imposing visa restrictions on Chinese officials in order to punish Beijing for alleged repression, intimidation and harassment of human rights activists and dissidents, both in China and around the world. As examples, Secretary of State Antony Blinken cited “genocide” of Uighurs and repression in Tibet and Hong Kong.

Blinken said that China is “attempting to intimidate, harass, and repress dissidents and human rights defenders inside and outside.” He added that “perpetrators of human rights abuses must continue to face consequences.”

Blinken said in a statement released by the State Department on Monday afternoon that the US “rejects efforts by [People’s Republic of China] officials to harass, intimidate, surveil and abduct members of ethnic and religious minority groups, including those who seek safety abroad, and US citizens, who speak out on behalf of these vulnerable populations.”

The State Department said that US sanctions target those officials “who are believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, policies or actions” targeting these communities, activists, and civil society “in China and beyond." It added, “We are committed to defending human rights around the world.”

Uyghur Muslims in China (File photo: Pixabay)

As an example of China’s “transnational repression,” the US said Beijing was trying to silence Uighur activists “serving the American people” by denying permissions to their family members to leave China.

Washington urged Beijing to “end its ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, repressive policies in Tibet, crackdown on fundamental freedoms in Kong Kong,” and other abuses elsewhere.

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The announcement comes after Friday’s call between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, in which Washington threatened China with “consequences” unless it disavowed Russia and joined the US-led embargo against Moscow.

China is a sovereign country opposed to unilateral sanctions and reserves the right to defend its interests accordingly, the government in Beijing said in response. Xi told Biden that China stands for peace and against war and backed a diplomatic solution of the Ukraine conflict.

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The Chinese readout of the presidential phone conversation said: “All sides need to jointly support Russia and Ukraine in having dialogue and negotiation that will produce results and lead to peace."

Source: wefornews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
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For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”