The Relatives in China of Overseas Chinese Independent Musician Chen Ende Face Pressure and Threats from CCP Authorities

(Rights Defense Network Information Center report) On August 16, 2026, this outlet learned that on August 14, 2026, overseas Chinese independent musician Chen Ende (Ende Chen) posted information saying that his relatives in China had been harassed and threatened by CCP authorities:

“A little after 9 p.m. last night, I was preparing, as usual, to call my family via WeChat, but suddenly discovered that my family had deleted me as a friend. At first I felt very puzzled and even suspected for a time that something had gone wrong with my family’s WeChat account, or that their friends list had been cleared. With the attitude of giving it a try, I sent another friend request, and unexpectedly, it was accepted not long afterward.

My family then sent me a message that made me very uneasy: ‘They’re investigating you here. They came to our home three days ago and said they had found out which company you were with, and would go get you and bring you back. My phone is being monitored by them. I deleted you from WeChat, but they still want to take my phone and look at it…’

The message was delivered very hurriedly, and many things were not explained clearly. Just as I was about to ask, ‘Where are they going to take me back to?’ I discovered that my family had deleted me again. This abnormal behavior made me realize that the situation might be even more serious than before. My family had also been harassed in the past, but in my view, those actions seemed more like routine pressure; this time, however, judging from what my family revealed and the abnormal act of deleting me twice in succession, the pressure appears to have clearly escalated.

At present, I cannot confirm what my family meant specifically by ‘investigating me,’ ‘my phone is being monitored,’ and ‘bringing me back,’ nor do I know what actions the relevant personnel have actually taken. But I know clearly that they cannot directly stop me, who is overseas, so they have put pressure on my family, attempting to influence my actions through them.

Taking part in political activities overseas and publicly criticizing the Chinese Communist Party are choices I have made personally. If they are dissatisfied with my speech and political activities, they should confront me rather than repeatedly seek out my family and place pressure on people who have nothing to do with these matters.

My family’s abnormal behavior and the information they sent have made me realize that this pressure is escalating. The CCP’s attempt to silence dissidents overseas through intimidation and by implicating their family members exposes precisely the arrogance and cowardice of this regime when faced with criticism. When a regime faces criticism, what it should truly do is reflect on its own problems, rather than put pressure on the families of its critics, and still less attempt to use fear to force people overseas to remain silent.

I am indeed worried about my family’s situation, but I will not therefore abandon my pursuit of freedom, democracy, and human rights. I speak out for others, and I also believe that one day, when my family and I find ourselves in difficulty, there will likewise be people willing to speak out for us. Everyone who cares about and supports me will become a strong source of support for me as I continue moving forward.”

About Chen Ende: Chen Ende (Ende Chen, also often known as Chen Ende), born in Zhengzhou, Henan, China, is an independent musician and record producer. His creative work draws largely on real-world social events for inspiration, focuses on human rights and social justice, and treats music as a medium for speaking out, bearing witness, and conveying hope. The works he releases on YouTube and Spotify often draw on social hot-button issues and real-life events, and possess a strong documentary character and humanistic concern.

His representative singles and albums include the “Sacrifice to the Mountains and Rivers” series, “Remember His Name—Yu Menglong” (Ten Directions), “Voice of Democracy,” “Mental Asylum,” “You Should Take Your Medicine,” “Strength of the Soul,” and other original works.