Episode #16
Authoritarian reach inside your democracy
The reach of authoritarian states will surprise you. In democracies around the world, HRW research reveals the silencing of citizens by the Chinese state. The fear employed? The threat to friends and family back in China. The how? Getting people inside the diaspora to spy on each other. For our interviewee, it's personal. China Researcher for Human Rights Watch, Yalkun Uluyol, has no idea where his father is. And for Yalkun, it's his profession, documenting testimony around the world. In ~30 minute episode (video version on youtube with images, maps and graphics), find out the extent to which authoritarians will go to silence nationals wherever they are. If you like our podcast, please subscribe to our youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@SaveDemocracypodcast Your click is a huge support and will help others find the podcast. Guest bio Yalkun Uluyol is the China researcher at Human Rights Watch (HRW). His research and publications primarily focus on China and a wide range of topics, including international political economy, foreign policy, civil and political rights, religious freedom, forced labor, and transnational repression. Prior to HRW, Yalkun was a researcher investigating Uyghur forced labor and global supply chains at the Forced Labor Lab at Sheffield Hallam University. He was also a co-founder of the project - Uyghur Rights Monitor - leading research on government officials and entities complicit with atrocities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Yalkun holds a bachelor's in economics from Istanbul University and a Ph.D. in International Relations from Koç University. Yalkun speaks Uyghur, Mandarin, English, Turkish, and Arabic. References 1) Human Rights Watch report "We Will Find You - A Global Look at How Governments Repress Nationals Abroad" referenced in interview: https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/22/governments-target-nationals-living-abroad 2) HRW News Release, Aug 27, 2026: https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/27/china-decade-of-impunity-for-crimes-against-uyghurs 3) SOAS article "Democratic neighbours as a challenge to the autocratic superiority tale": https://blogs.soas.ac.uk/china-institute/2022/04/25/democratic-neighbours-as-a-challenge-to-the-autocratic-superiority-tale/ 4) CFR article "Taiwan's Democracy is Thriving in China's Shadow": https://www.cfr.org/articles/taiwans-democracy-thriving-chinas-shadow Clarification Re: 'about 35% of solar panels are coming from Xinjiang' Xinjiang accounts for about 35% of the world's polysilicon and 32% of global metallurgical grade silicon production, materials essential to the manufacture of solar panels (95%). Crawford A. and Murphy L.T. (2023) "Over-Exposed: Uyghur Region Exposure Assessment for Solar Industry Sourcing," Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Hallam University Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional, legal or political advice. Reliance on any information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. Always consult with a qualified professional or local officials for specific advice tailored to your situation. The views and opinions expressed by the guest in this podcast are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the host or the production company. Links to external resources, as well as any screenshots, audio clips, music clips, or images included in this episode, are provided for reference and illustrative purposes only. The inclusion of such materials does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement of this podcast or its content by the original creators, copyright holders, or associated entities. Credits Image of Uyghur crowd and musicians. Copyright (UNESCO) ICH Protection and Research Centre, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China Satellite image of a political education camp in Hami, Xinjiang. Copyright Shawn Zhang. Image of men seated in rows: Government social media post in April 2017 shows detainees in a political education camp in Lop County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang. Xinjiang Bureau of Justice WeChat Account World map of Uyghur diaspora created by Save Democracy using mapchart.net and data from Uyghur Human Rights Project uhrp.org/report/diaspora Screenshot of HRW article https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/16/australia-chinese-government-menaces-uyghur-diaspora Image of Tara Zhang Yadi, copyright ChineseYouthStand4Tibet Image of the CCP in the Great Hall, Beijing, copyright Mirko Kuzmanovic dreamstime.com Image of umbrellas protest, July 2019 Hong Kong, by Ng Chun Yin, licensed from Shutterstock Screenshot of HRW article https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/08/21/hong-kong-activists-convicted-for-tiananmen-vigils Image of Jimmy Lai from Doughty Street Chambers article https://www.doughtystreet.co.uk/news/dark-day-anyone-who-believes-truth-freedom-and-justice-jimmy-lais-family-react-his-conviction CFR and SOAS article screenshots, and HRW We Will Find You 2024 report cover, referenced above Graphic of Top 10 Origin States Transnational Repression screenshot from Freedom House https://freedomhouse.org/article/ten-findings-ten-years-data-transnational-repression Music from Uppbeat: Niafunke by Arnito and Unseen by Abstract Aprils
