As President Xi Jinping traveled the world, police swept peaceful protesters off the streets

Your news update from ICIJ.

Stories that rock the world. View this email in your browser DONATE Welcome to ICIJ's newsletter! In April 2021, as Businessman H. awaited an extradition hearing in Bordeaux, France, he received an unexpected call from an old friend — the billionaire co-founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma. Ma had been enlisted by the Chinese government to deliver a message: return to China and testify in a high-profile corruption case or stay and be prosecuted. "If you don't come back, they'll definitely destroy you," he said, according to a transcript of the call. A month earlier, French authorities had arrested H. based on an Interpol red notice, a worldwide police alert, that accused him of money laundering and complicity in an embezzlement scandal. H.'s case, detailed in court records obtained by ICIJ and its media partners as part of the China Targets investigation on the condition that his real name not be used, is one of many that show how Beijing misuses the world's largest international police organization to pursue targets abroad for political ends. Image: ICIJ These state-sponsored intimidation tactics are not limited to Interpol. China's global campaign to silence its perceived enemies has spread through other international institutions, including the United Nations' European headquarters in Geneva. ICIJ uncovered hidden ties between dozens of self-described nongovernmental organizations with privileged U.N. status and the Chinese government and Communist Party. The China-backed groups crowd out independent voices and whitewash China's human rights record, while also keeping tabs on the country's detractors. "It's corrosive. It's dishonest. It's subversive," said Michèle Taylor, a former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Council. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S. did not respond directly to questions about China's ties to NGOs at the U.N. or use of Interpol red notices but said the country "strictly abides by international law and the sovereignty of other countries. ICIJ also found authorities in other countries, including democracies, sometimes helped to muzzle China's critics. During at least seven of President Xi Jinping's overseas visits between 2019 and 2024 local law enforcement detained dozens of protestors, often for peaceful acts, like holding up a bag marked with the words "free Tibet." Read more from China Targets here. Thanks for reading! Joanna Robin ICIJ's digital editor P.S. If you've enjoyed our coverage, remember to tell your friends and family and share our work on social media. Send them an email now! | LATEST NEWS Inside China's machinery of repression — and how it crushes dissent around the world At the U.N., China is deploying a growing army of puppet organizations to intimidate activists About the China Targets investigation Frequently asked questions about the China Targets investigation WATCH: A three-minute rundown of China Targets Cyberattack against Uyghur rights activists shows hallmarks of Chinese repression tactics READ MORE NEWS STAY CONNECTED WITH ICIJ: This email was sent to www.tnr.tv.raymundolopeztiana@blogger.com, because you signed up to get ICIJ's stories in your inbox. Want fewer emails? Change your preferences or unsubscribe. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists | 1730 Rhode Island Ave NW, Suite 317 Washington, D.C. 20036 USA