China's Transnational Campaign to Silence Uyghur Research in Europe
A report published on December 19, 2025, by three prominent European scholars reveals China's systematic efforts to suppress academic research on East Turkistan and Uyghurs across European universities.
Classroom Espionage: Chinese state security officers recruited Chinese students studying in Europe to secretly record and report on lectures about Uyghurs and East Turkistan. While one student refused and informed professors, researchers suspect widespread infiltration of academic settings.
Cyber Warfare: Starting in April 2025, researchers in Germany, Belgium, and the Czech Republic faced months of persistent phishing attacks aimed at hijacking their digital devices. Fake journalists from supposed "Singapore consulting firms" attempted to extract information about their Central Asian visits and forced labor evidence—activities security experts linked to Chinese intelligence.
Border Restrictions: Despite China's claims that "Xinjiang is open to visitors," researchers fluent in local languages were systematically blocked from entering Central Asian countries. One was stopped at the Kyrgyzstan border and interrogated; another was denied entry to Kazakhstan in spring 2025. China welcomes only naive tourists but blocks experts capable of uncovering the truth.
Broader Repression: The pressure extends beyond Europe, including attacks on Kazakhstan's "Atajurt" human rights organisation and UK-based Professor Laura Murphy's research at Sheffield Hallam University.
Warning: The scholars emphasised that while their challenges pale compared to Uyghurs' suffering in East Turkistan, these attacks on academic freedom threaten democracy and must not become a "new normal." International cooperation is urgently needed to counter China's transnational repression
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