Beijing Surveillance in Australia Universities Rob Students and Academics of Freedom: HRW Report

Beijing Surveillance in Australia Universities Rob Students and Academics of Freedom: HRW Report
Student from China poses for graduation photos at Sydney University in Australia, on Oct. 12, 2017. William West/AFP via Getty Images
Rebecca Zhu
Updated:

Just hours after attending a rally in support of Hong Kong’s freedoms, a student from mainland China studying in Australia received a message from a mainland classmate at 2 a.m. saying: “I’m watching you.”

Zhang Xiuyang, a pseudonym used for safety, said she had known the classmate for a long time, was aware of their differing opinions, and had previously told him she did not want to discuss Hong Kong with him.