Rights Defense Network Statement: Commemorating the 37th Anniversary of “June 4”—May All Prisoners of Conscience Be Free Soon!

Thirty-seven years ago，the 1989 June 4 massacre，shocked the entire world。The Chinese Communist Party brazenly carried out a horrific massacre against people peacefully expressing themselves，using tanks and machine guns，and this crime against humanity was strongly condemned and met with large-scale sanctions by all civilized countries in the world。

But as time has passed，the deep-red blood of the June 4 massacre is being forcibly erased from memory by the state apparatus——but accountability for the June 4 massacre still has not been pursued，while those massacred continue to be denied and smeared。The anniversary of the June 4 massacre has become，like a curse，the day the Chinese Communist Party authorities fear and dread most。Every year，whenever June 4 approaches，the Chinese Communist Party authorities launch intensive stability maintenance measures，tightly surveilling mainland dissidents and depriving them of their freedom，for more than half a month。Year after year，it has continued this way，and suddenly 37 years have passed。

But many people around the world who remain firmly committed to freedom、justice and dignity，through 37 years of unremitting commemorations，have engaged in a contest with the Chinese Communist Party authorities to preserve memory——although this is a contest between vastly unequal forces——China’s human rights defenders，under the pressure of the enormous authoritarian machine and at great risk，continue as before to commemorate June 4，pursue accountability，seek justice，and preserve the historical truth——from Tiananmen in 1989 to Hong Kong’s Victoria Park，and then to major cities throughout the democratic world。

The June 4 massacre is not merely history from 37 years ago。June 4 remains an ongoing reality in mainland China today——among the thousands of prisoners of conscience in prisons in the mainland and in Hong Kong today，many remain imprisoned because of their connection to “June 4”——and the persecution of every human rights defender imprisoned for their speech is also the continuing June 4 suppression——the suppression of speech、opinions、expression and peaceful demonstrations。

Here let us once again name them：Wang Bingzhang、Qin Yongmin、Gao Zhisheng、Guo Feixiong、Xu Zhiyong、Ding Jiaxi、Peng Zaizhou、Huang Qi、Zhang Haitao、Zhao Haitong、Zhang Zhan、Zhang Pancheng、Wang Yi、Zhang Zhongshun、Xie Yang、He Fangmei、Wang Yifei、Shi Tingfu、Xu Na、Zeng Yuxuan、Chen Pinlin、Niu Tengyu、Li Huaiqing、Ji Xiaolong、Ruan Xiao、Yang Zewei、Xu Lin、Hao Jinsong、Huang Xueqin、Jimmy Lai、Albert Ho Chun-yan、Lee Cheuk-yan、Zou Hingtung、Joshua Wong、Jin Mingri、Yin Huibin、Wang Lin、Wang Cong、Zou Wei、Li Yingqiang、Dai Zhichao、Zhang Sen、Chang Shun、Ma Tao、Zhang Wenpeng、Guan Xiaoyan、and many，many others——this is a list that cannot be fully read out，this is a human rights persecution that has never ceased since 1989，and has even become increasingly severe。

Among them，some are mainland Chinese，while others are Hong Kong people。Some have already been given lengthy prison sentences，some are awaiting trial，and some are in a state of enforced disappearance；some directly participated in the 1989 democracy movement，while others were deprived of their personal freedom for participating in subsequent commemorative activities、refusing to forget，and speaking out for those who died。

The Chinese Communist Party authorities have vigorously created a Hong Kong version of the National Security Law，and the original judicial system has been almost completely overturned，just as in the mainland’s judicial system，once you are regarded as an outsider，they can always successfully convict you，because there is always a legal provision that suits you。Lee Cheuk-yan、Jimmy Lai、Albert Ho Chun-yan and Zou Hingtung，who for decades persisted in mourning the spirits of those who died on June 4 in Hong Kong and pursuing accountability for the massacre，were imprisoned one after another after the draconian national security law was enacted。

As we commemorate the 37th anniversary of the June 4 massacre，we reaffirm the responsibility and mission of us survivors and of the new generations born in the 1980s，1990s and 2000s——to shout out and fight for the freedom of all Chinese prisoners of conscience。

We will continue to speak out and call loudly：the thousands of prisoners of conscience in China’s prisons must be freed，and the Chinese people should fully enjoy all the human rights protected by the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights。

We strongly appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Council：please pay close attention to the harsh reality that large numbers of Chinese human rights defenders are being arbitrarily detained、tortured and forcibly disappeared，play the role that the United Nations human rights mechanisms should play，urge the Chinese government to respect its international human rights commitments，and release all prisoners of conscience。

We strongly appeal to the governments of all democratic countries：please shoulder their mission and moral responsibility for human rights，freedom and democracy，and make China’s human rights situation a bottom-line principle in dealings with the Chinese Communist Party authorities——whether in trade、political、cultural or sporting exchanges，there should be consideration of improvements in China’s human rights situation。

May those who died in June 4 rest in peace soon！

May all prisoners of conscience be free soon！

In commemoration of the 37th anniversary of “June 4”。

Rights Defense Network June 2, 2026