MP, Activists Say Ottawa Must Help Stop Forced Repatriation of Canada-Bound Chinese Dissident Detained in Thailand

NDP MP Jenny Kwan and democracy and human rights activists are urging Ottawa to step in to prevent the forced return of a UN-registered Chinese dissident who fled persecution by Beijing and was detained in Thailand in May, just ahead of her reportedly planned resettlement in Canada.Zhang Xinyan was elected last year to the Toronto-based “Hong Kong Parliament,” established by Hong Kong democracy activists overseas in response to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) control of Hong Kong.Zhang, who is a Falun Dafa practitioner, fled China to Thailand in 2014. Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a spiritual meditation practice that is persecuted by China’s communist regime. Practitioners of the discipline in China are subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture, killings, and even live forced organ harvesting.After Zhang was elected to the “Hong Kong Parliament” in 2025, Hong Kong police issued an arrest warrant for her and placed a HK$200,000 (US$25,000) bounty on her and other members of the Parliament, charging them under the notorious National Security Law. The law, enacted by the CCP in Hong Kong in 2020, has been used by authorities to arrest and imprison protesters and pro-democracy activists.While in Thailand, Zhang obtained refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Toronto-area based Chinese democracy activist Sheng Xue says she helped send Zhang’s case to Global Affairs Canada last year, and she was approved for resettlement in Canada. However, Thai authorities detained her in May, alleging that she had overstayed her visa.Sheng, who is in touch with Zhang, says she was scheduled to fly from Bangkok to Vancouver on July 8, but was blocked from leaving.At a subsequent court hearing on July 16, the presiding judge refused to order her release, Sheng said. She added that the ruling was due to the involvement of the Chinese Embassy, calling the outcome “deeply disheartening.”“The judge ruled that while UNHCR refugees with approved resettlement options are typically released, the Chinese Embassy filed an objection, arguing that releasing her would harm Thailand-China relations,” Sheng told The Epoch Times.“Regrettably, the judge accepted this argument and rejected the application.”The Epoch Times contacted the Immigration Bureau of the Royal Thai Police and Thailand’s foreign affairs department for comment, but didn’t hear back.Sheng urged the Canadian government to help secure Zhang’s release so she can fly to Canada. She said past cases of China’s neighbouring countries forcefully repatriating Chinese dissidents should serve as a warning, as they faced persecution once they returned to China.“[Ottawa] cannot allow the tragedy of Dong Guangping and Jiang Yefei being brought back to China on Nov.13, 2015, to be repeated. Dong Guangping spent nearly eleven years and risked his life multiple times to finally reach Canada, while Jiang Yefei remains missing,” she said.After several failed attempts, Dong, a former police officer and democracy activist, finally managed to flee China to South Korea on a small inflatable boat this year, and later arrived in Toronto on a plane on June 26. In some of his failed previous attempts to flee China, Dong was forcefully returned by Thai and Vietnamese authorities after reaching their shores.Jiang Yefei, a political cartoonist, was also forcefully returned to China by Thailand in 2015, and was imprisoned upon his return.The U.S.-based China Aid group is also calling on the U.S. and Canadian authorities to work with Thailand to secure Zhang’s release to Canada.A number of human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, are calling on Thailand to not forcibly return Zhang and other Chinese dissidents to China.“Thailand is damaging its reputation by complying with Chinese government requests to unlawfully deport Chinese dissidents instead of allowing them to travel to safe third countries,” said Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand adviser at Human Rights Watch.Facing PersecutionIn a social media post, MP Kwan said if Zhang is forcefully repatriated to China, “she will likely face persecution.”“Human rights organizations have warned that any forced return to China would expose her to a serious risk of persecution and would raise grave concerns under international refugee law,” Kwan said on July 13.Kwan urged the Canadian government to urgently intervene in her case and work with Thai authorities and the UNHCR to secure her release and ensure she can travel to Canada.“Time is of the essence. Every day Ms. Zhang remains in immigration detention increases the uncertainty surrounding her safety,” she said.She also asked the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship to provide “an immediate public update” on the actions the government is taking on Zhang’s case.“Canada must use every diplomatic avenue available to ensure that a refugee who has been accepted for protection is able to reach safety and to ensure Canada’s humanitarian commitments are upheld.”A spokesperson with Global Affairs Canada didn’t directly comment on Zhang’s case, referring requests for information to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The spokesperson added that Canada “continuously works with international partners to advocate for the promotion and protection of human rights globally.”A spokesperson with the IRCC said it can’t provide details related to specific cases due to safety and privacy concerns, but said the department works closely with the UNHCR and other partners to help refugees.“Canada has a long and proud tradition as a world leader in resettling refugees with compassion, respect, and dignity,” the department said.“We work closely with referral partners, including the UNHCR, to support the resettlement of refugees—providing safety and support to some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”