U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released a statement today marking the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Massacre.
“Today, we remember the brave Chinese citizens killed or injured during the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989. We honor their families and those who continue to commemorate and fight for their loved ones despite severe pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” Risch stated.
He further criticized ongoing actions by the CCP, saying, “The CCP’s brutality, disregard for human life, and continued repression of its citizens continues today. We condemn the CCP’s genocide against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, use of torture and forced disappearances, and denial of religious and political freedoms.”
Risch called for immediate action regarding political prisoners: “All political prisoners should be released immediately, including Jimmy Lai, Ekpar Asat, Ilhan Tohti, Gao Zhisheng, Peng Lifa, and many others.”
He concluded with a call to action for U.S. policy: “The United States must take every opportunity to hold the CCP accountable for its violations of internationally recognized human rights and its transnational repression of non-Chinese citizens, including Americans.”
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