China is committing genocide and systematic human rights abuses against ethnic minorities including Uyghurs and Tibetans, according to the US State Department’s 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

The report details widespread violations such as arbitrary detentions, transnational repression, and extensive cyber surveillance, with Uyghurs and Tibetans being the primary targets. It asserts that crimes against humanity occurred in Xinjiang during 2024 against Uyghurs and other religious minorities.

According to the report, Chinese laws give security forces broad powers to detain individuals for long periods without charges, making arbitrary arrests systemic. Former political prisoners and their families continue to face harassment, while many remain jailed, including Tibetan monks Go Sherab Gyatso and Tenzin Khenrab, entrepreneur Dorjee Tashi, and singers Lhundrub Drakpa and Trinley Tsekar.

The report also notes that citizens are frequently placed under house arrest during politically sensitive times, such as visits of foreign leaders or anniversaries of events like the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Beyond China’s borders, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its agents have engaged in intimidation, stalking, theft, and even physical assaults against dissidents abroad. There were also credible reports of Beijing pressuring foreign governments to act against specific individuals or groups.

Leaked documents from Chinese cybersecurity firm i-Soon (Aixun) revealed state-backed cyber operations targeting Uyghur organisations in Central and Southeast Asia and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamshala, India. These findings highlight Beijing’s global attempts to silence dissent.

The State Department concluded that Chinese authorities failed to take credible action against officials responsible for abuses, underscoring the systematic nature of the repression.