Americans Detained in China Suffering, Families Call for Action \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The families of four Americans detained in China for over eight years urged the U.S. government on Wednesday to take swift action to bring their loved ones home. Speaking before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, the families shared emotional accounts of their relatives’ physical and mental suffering while imprisoned on what they describe as trumped-up charges. The hearing spotlighted the growing issue of wrongful detentions in China, with lawmakers calling for increased pressure on Beijing to release these Americans.
Families of Americans Detained in China Plead for Action: Quick Looks
- Emotional testimony: Families of four Americans detained in China for over eight years appealed to the U.S. government to secure their release.
- Detained Americans suffering: The detainees, including Kai Li, Mark Swidan, Dawn Michelle Hunt, and Nelson Wells Jr., are enduring significant physical and mental suffering.
- Biden administration urged to act: Lawmakers and families alike are pushing for the Biden administration to intensify efforts to bring the detainees home.
- China’s response: The Chinese government insists that their legal system is fair, but U.S. officials and advocates argue the detentions are politically motivated.
Deep Look
The families of four Americans currently detained in China appeared before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on Wednesday, pleading with the U.S. government to take stronger measures to secure the release of their loved ones. These Americans—Kai Li, Mark Swidan, Dawn Michelle Hunt, and Nelson Wells Jr.—have been imprisoned for at least eight years and are reportedly enduring severe physical and mental hardships. The emotional testimonies come amid increasing concerns over the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens in China.
Families Speak Out About the Detained Americans
The hearing included heartfelt accounts from the families of the detained, highlighting the toll these lengthy imprisonments have taken on their loved ones.
Harrison Li, son of Kai Li, shared details of his father’s deteriorating condition. Kai Li, a U.S. citizen of Chinese descent, has been jailed in Shanghai for over eight years on charges of spying and stealing state secrets, allegations his family and human rights groups vehemently deny. Harrison Li described how his father suffered a stroke, lost a tooth, and endured harsh conditions, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he was confined to a tiny, overcrowded cell.
“Every day I wake up, I shudder at the thought of him crammed in that tiny cell with anywhere from seven to 11 other people,” Harrison Li said, stressing the physical and mental anguish his father continues to experience. “It is time for my father to come home,” he added, directly addressing President Joe Biden.
Nelson Wells Sr. also testified about his son, Nelson Wells Jr., who has been in Chinese custody since 2014 after unknowingly possessing drugs, according to the family. Wells Sr. revealed that his son is battling chronic pain, seizures, malnutrition, severe depression, and thoughts of self-harm. He pleaded with the U.S. government to either secure his son’s release or facilitate a prisoner transfer to serve the remainder of his sentence in the United States.
The testimony of Tim Hunt, brother of Dawn Hunt, was equally moving. Dawn Hunt is serving a life sentence for drug smuggling in Guangdong Province, a charge her family maintains she was tricked into. According to Tim Hunt, Dawn was lured to Hong Kong under false pretenses and later forced to carry purses lined with drugs to Australia, without her knowledge. She has since refused medical treatment, fearful of the Chinese authorities.
“Our citizens are being mistreated and abused, and it’s coordinated,” Tim Hunt said, choking up as he appealed to the panel to help free his sister.
Pressure on the Biden Administration
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China, chaired by Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, has pledged to keep pressure on the Biden administration to make the release of these detained Americans a priority. Rep. Smith denounced the detentions, stating, “This is American human rights being violated with impunity.”
Sen. Jeff Merkley, co-chair of the commission, emphasized that no American should be wrongfully detained, and underscored the need for Beijing to demonstrate legal fairness in these cases. “Even one American detained as a political prisoner in China is one too many,” he said.
Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa echoed these concerns, accusing China of using hostage diplomacy by “warehousing American citizens” to gain leverage in international relations with the United States.
China’s Response and U.S. State Department’s Warning
The Chinese Embassy in Washington responded by defending China’s legal system, stating that their judicial authorities handle cases according to the law, “regardless of nationality,” and that they protect the legitimate rights of the accused.
However, critics of the Chinese justice system argue that Beijing often uses politically motivated charges against foreigners, especially Americans, as a way to manipulate diplomatic relations. These concerns are underscored by the U.S. State Department’s advisory warning Americans to reconsider travel to China due to the risk of wrongful detentions.
Recent Release of David Lin and Calls for Immediate Action
This hearing came just days after the release of American pastor David Lin, who spent almost 20 years in a Chinese prison. His release has given renewed hope to the families of the remaining detained Americans, who are now pushing even harder for action.
In a pre-recorded video shown at the hearing, Katherine Swidan, mother of Mark Swidan, made a tearful appeal for her son’s freedom. Mark Swidan has been jailed in China for 12 years on a drug charge, which the U.S. State Department has labeled a wrongful detention. Swidan’s health has deteriorated, with his mother pleading for the U.S. government to secure his release before it’s too late. “I am pleading for my son’s life, his freedom, and the chance to bring him home,” she said.
The Biden administration has faced criticism for not taking stronger action to resolve these cases. The families of the detained Americans are urging the administration to prioritize their release in negotiations with China, highlighting that time is running out for their loved ones.
Conclusion
The families of Kai Li, Mark Swidan, Dawn Hunt, and Nelson Wells Jr. are pleading for their loved ones to be freed after years of wrongful detainment in China. With conditions worsening, both physically and mentally, these families, along with U.S. lawmakers, are calling on the Biden administration to take urgent steps to secure their release. The issue has put a spotlight on China’s judicial practices and the growing trend of hostage diplomacy, raising serious concerns about human rights violations and the safety of Americans abroad.
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