Embargoed until 6 am on Thu 6 Dec 2018, NZ time (6 pm Wed 5 Dec CET) OPEN LETTER ON HARASSMENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANNE-MARIE BRADY Contact: Kateřina Procházková katerina.prochazkova@acamedia.cz +420 777 075 773 Timezone: CET Under Xi Jinping's rule, the PRC Party-state has intensified domestic repression to levels not seen in decades, as illustrated by the fate of hundreds of human rights lawyers and activists rounded up in 2015, or most shockingly, the build-up of “re-education” detention centers in Xinjiang, holding hundreds of thousands, perhaps over a million Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other Muslim minorities. The wave of domestic repression has been accompanied by increasing efforts to limit freedom of expression even beyond the PRC’s borders, both in overseas Chinese communities, where independent media have been largely taken over by entities connected with the CCP United Front and Propaganda systems, and even among foreign entities, such as academic publishers or commercial firms. Another form of this escalation are the unprecedented attacks on foreign scholars and researchers of contemporary China, be it in the form of Cultural Revolution-style in-class harassment for their views and opinions, denial of visas, threatened or actual libel suits or, in some cases, detentions during research visits in Mainland China. In New Zealand, Anne-Marie Brady, an academic who investigated the CCP's influence in local politics has become the target of a series of incidents which, taken together with attacks from Party-directed media, are consistent with an intimidation campaign. New Zealand authorities have been less than forthcoming in their support for a prominent scholar targeted by a foreign power, at times even adopting a dismissive posture – an attitude appreciated by PRC state media. In response, we have initiated an open letter in support of Brady and her research. The letter, to be published on the Sinopsis website on Thursday 6 December, will remain open for signatures for approximately one week. Current signatories (164) include academics, think-tankers, journalists, human-rights activists, politicians and others, based in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Argentina, Canada and the United States. Sinopsis and Jichang Lulu Sinopsis, led by Martin Hála, is a joint project between the Institute of East Asian Studies at Charles University in Prague and non-profit organisation AcaMedia. It aims to present a regular overview of developments in China from the perspectives of Czech, Chinese, and international observers. Jichang Lulu is an independent translator and analyst interested in China’s activities abroad, with a focus on the Arctic. Embargoed until 6 am on Thu 6 Dec 2018, NZ time (6 pm Wed 5 Dec CET) OPEN LETTER ON HARASSMENT CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANNE-MARIE BRADY We, the undersigned concerned scholars and others with an interest in China, have been alarmed and appalled by the recent wave of intimidation directed against our colleague, Professor Anne-Marie Brady, in apparent retaliation for her scholarly research on contemporary China. Anne-Marie Brady, a scholar of Chinese politics affiliated with the University of Canterbury, has investigated the external propaganda and political influence mechanisms employed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in New Zealand and beyond. Her 2017 paper Magic Weapons, based on extensive Chinese and English-language sources and previous scholarship on the PRC political system, described the CCP’s use of United Front tactics to control extra-Party forces, intensified at home and abroad under current CCP secretary general Xi Jinping. Professor Brady has accompanied her research with specific policy recommendations on how the New Zealand government can deal with the CCP’s political influence operations. These policy recommendations have attracted wide interest far beyond New Zealand. Since the publication of her work on global United Front work, Brady’s home and office have been subjected to burglaries, during which no valuable items other than electronic devices were stolen. Most recently, her car was found to have been tampered with in ways consistent with intentional sabotage. According to media reports, Interpol and the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (SIS) are involved in the investigation. In China, academics were interrogated by Ministry of State Security agents after their institutions hosted Brady. Brady has also been personally attacked in media under the direction of the CCP, both in the PRC and in New Zealand. Taken together, these circumstances make it likely that this harassment campaign constitutes a response to her research on the CCP’s influence, and an attempt to intimidate her into silence. Despite the evidence of CCP interference provided in Brady’s research, of which the harassment campaign appears to be a further example, the New Zealand government has been slow to take action and failed to acknowledge that a problem exists. Professor Brady’s repeated requests for additional SIS and police protection have been ignored for four months. Far from unique to New Zealand, the CCP’s global United Front tactics and other political influence operations have been documented in other locations, in Europe, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. Small nations can be especially vulnerable to the PRC Party-state’s exploitation of asymmetries in economic power and relevant expertise to advance its political interests. Whether within or without the limits of the law of their target countries, these activities have considerable effects on their societies and merit evidence-based research and the attention of politicians and the media. The harassment campaign against Brady risks having a chilling effect on scholarly inquiry, allowing the CCP to interfere in the politics of our societies unfettered by informed scrutiny. We urge the New Zealand authorities to grant Professor Brady the necessary protection to allow her to continue her research, sending a clear signal to fellow researchers that independent inquiry can be protected in democratic societies and conducted without fear of retribution. We join other voices in support of Professor Brady, which have included statements by a New Zealand Chinese community organisation, some of her Canterbury University colleagues, New Zealand academics and two Australian Sinologists, as well as many others on social media. We further hope decision makers and the public at large, in New Zealand and elsewhere, will engage with evidence-based research on the CCP’s United Front tactics, such as Brady’s Magic Weapons, and give due consideration to policy advice emanating from such research. SIGNATORIES (164) as of 2 am 5 Dec 2018 CET Martin Hála, Charles University and Sinopsis.cz Jichang Lulu, independent researcher Filip Jirouš, Sinopsis.cz Kateřina Procházková, Sinopsis.cz Anna Zádrapová, Sinopsis.cz Hernán Alberro, CADAL Jamil Anderlini, journalist Ross Babbage, Chief Executive Officer, Strategic Forum David L. Bandurski, Co-Director, China Media Project Michael Barr, FAHA, Flinders University Michael Beckley, professor, Tufts University Jean-Philippe Béja, Research Professor Emeritus, CNRS Bill Bishop Joseph Bosco, former China Country Director, Office of the Secretary of Defense Julia Bowie, Center for Advanced China Research Hal Brands, Johns Hopkins SAIS Sarah M Brooks, International Service for Human Rights Dr. Douglas Brown, John Abbott College, Sainte Anne de Bellevue, Quebec Charles Burton, Brock University Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, Bündnis90/Die Grünen Darren Byler, Department of Anthropology, University of Washington Harald Bøckman, Visiting Senior Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science / University of Oslo Dag Inge Bøe, social anthropologist Jean-Pierre Cabestan, Professor of Political Science, Hong Kong Baptist University Alan Cantos, physical oceanographer and Director of the Spanish Tibet Support Committee (CAT) Yaxue Cao, China Change Kevin Carrico, Macquarie University Danielle Cave, Deputy Head, International Cyber Policy Centre, The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and PhD Scholar, Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, ANU Lenka Cavojská, sinologist Anita Chan (Prof.), Co-editor, The China Journal, Australian National University Alvin Y.H. Cheung, Affiliated Scholar, US-Asia Law Institute, NYU School of Law Jocelyn Chey, University of Sydney Tarun Chhabra, policy analyst Donald Clarke, Professor of Law and David A. Weaver Research Professor of Law, George Washington University Law School Professor Jerome A. Cohen, NYU Law School J Michael Cole, China Policy Institute (U Nott), Research Associate CEFC Gabriel Collins, Rice University Anders Corr, Corr Analytics Demetrius Cox, independent researcher Peter Dahlin, Director of Safeguard Defenders June Teufel Dreyer, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Miami Mathieu Duchâtel, Deputy Director, Senior Fellow, Asia and China Programme, European Council on Foreign Relations Ryan Dunch, Professor, History and Classics, Director, Program in Religious Studies, University of Alberta Ian Easton, Research Fellow, Project 2049 Institute Elizabeth C. Economy, Council on Foreign Relations Charles Edel, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Eric Edelman, Johns Hopkins SAIS Kingsley Edney, University of Leeds Johan Elverskog, Southern Methodist University José Elías Esteve Moltó, Universitat de València Feng Chongyi, University of Technology Sydney Magnus Fiskesjö, Department of Anthropology, Cornell University John Fitzgerald, Swinburne University of Technology Martin Flaherty, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University Ivan Franceschini, Ca' Foscari University of Venice and Australian National University Vanessa Frangville, Université libre de Bruxelles Aaron Friedberg, Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University Edward Friedman, Professor Emeritus, Department of Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison Dr Andreas Fulda, School of Politics and International Relations, University of Nottingham Kateřina Gajdošová, Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Charles University Ursula Gauthier, grand reporter, L’Obs David Gitter, Center For Advanced China Research Louisa Greve, Uyghur Human Rights Project Gerry Groot, University of Adelaide A.Tom Grunfeld, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus Guo Shan-yu, Charles University Rosemary Haddon, (formerly) Massey University Ian Hall, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University Terry Halliday, Research Professor, American Bar Foundation, Honorary Professor, School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), Australian National University, Adjunct Professor of Sociology, Northwestern University Clive Hamilton, Professor of Public Ethics, Charles Sturt University, Canberra Mette Halskov Hansen, University of Oslo Mark Harrison, University of Tasmania Jonathan Hassid, Iowa State University Laurens Hemminga, City University of Hong Kong / Leiden University Anne Henochowicz, Los Angeles Review of Books China Channel Daniel Herman, former minister of culture, KDU-ČSL Samantha Hoffman, analyst Marie Holzman, Solidarité Chine, Paris Leta Hong Fincher, independent sociologist Charles Horner, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute Fraser Howie, author and independent China analyst Carlos Iglesias, human rights lawyer J. Bruce Jacobs, Emeritus Professor of Asian Languages and Studies, School of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, Monash University Jakub Janda, Executive Director, Head of Kremlin Watch Program, European Values Think-tank Rodney Jones, Wigram Capital Advisors (HK) Alex Joske, Australian Strategic Policy Institute Elsa B. Kania, Harvard University Karina Kapounová, sinologist, Charles University, Prague Thierry Kellner, Université libre de Bruxelles Jeffrey C. Kinkley, Portland State University Ondřej Klimeš, Czech Academy of Sciences Zuzana Košková, University of Freiburg Adam Kozieł, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights Dr Mei-fen Kuo, The University of Queensland Petr Kutílek, lecturer in transitional politics, Prague Françoise Lauwaert, Université libre de Bruxelles Professor John Lee, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute James Leibold, La Trobe University Steve Levine, Department of History, University of Montana, USA Filip Lexa, Sinologist and Indonesia expert, Charles University, Prague Jon R. Lindsay, Assistant Professor, Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto Perry Link, Princeton University Olga Lomová, Charles University Nicholas Loubere, Lund University Julia Lovell, Birkbeck College, University of London Maree Ma, Vision Times Media Corporation (Australia) T M McClellan, PhD, Independent scholar, formerly Senior Lecturer (Chinese) in The University of Edinburgh Barrett L. McCormick, Professor, Marquette University Kevin McCready, former AusAID official, translator Paul Macgregor, historian and heritage consultant, Victoria, Australia Richard McGregor, Lowy Institute Anne McLaren, Professor, Chinese Studies, FAHA, Asia Institute, University of Melbourne Thomas G. Mahnken, Johns Hopkins SAIS Victor H. Mair, Professor of Chinese Language and Literature, University of Pennsylvania Maurizio Marinelli, University of Sussex Peter Mattis, Research Fellow, China Studies, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Rory Medcalf, Australian National University Jonathan Mirsky, historian of China, former journalist in China and Tibet Michelle S. Mood, Political Science and Asian Studies, Kenyon College Zbyněk Mucha, indologist and tibetologist, Charles University Luisetta Mudie, translator Ian Mukherjee, independent analyst Andrew J. Nathan, Columbia University Adam Ni, Visiting Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Cassy O’Connor MP, Tasmanian Greens Leader Mareike Ohlberg Max Oidtmann, Georgetown University Jojje Olsson, journalist and author Charlie Parton, Associate Fellow, RUSI Gaia Perini, University of Bologna Eva Pils, Professor of Law, King's College London Sophie Richardson, PhD, China Director, Human Rights Watch Sean Roberts, The George Washington University Kaz Ross, School of Humanities, University of Tasmania Fergus Ryan, Australian Strategic Policy Institute Gabriel Salvia, Director General, CADAL David Schak, Adjunct Associate Professor, Griffith Asia Institute Matt Schrader, editor, Jamestown Foundation China Brief Mark Selden, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, State University of New York at Binghamton Victor Shih, associate professor, UC San Diego Susan L. Shirk, Research Professor and Chair, 21st Century China Center, School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC-San Diego Jan Sládek, Charles University Faculty of Arts, Department of Sociology, vice-dean for information resources Prof. Martin Slobodník, Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia Angela Stanzel, Senior Policy Fellow, Institut Montaigne Janice Gross Stein, University of Toronto Marina Svensson, Lund University Josef Šlerka, Head of New Media Studies Department at Charles University Hiroki Takeuchi, Southern Methodist University Teng Biao, US-Asia Law Institute, New York University Martin Thorley, University of Nottingham Alan Tidwell, Director, Center for Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Studies, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University Rory Truex, Princeton University Glenn Tiffert, Hoover Institution Aki Tonami, University of Tsukuba Steve Tsang, Professor of Chinese Studies, SOAS University of London Professor Jonathan Unger, Political & Social Change Department, Australian National University Professor Arthur Waldron, University of Pennsylvania Gerrit van der Wees, George Mason University Andréa Worden, independent researcher David Curtis Wright, University of Calgary Teresa Wright, Department of Political Science, California State University Michael Yahuda, Emeritus Professor, LSE, Visiting Scholar, Sigur Center for Asia Studies, The Elliott School, George Washington University Wai Ling Yeung, Western Australia Department of Education Lukáš Zádrapa, Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Charles University Prague