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Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Secure Release of Americans Unjustly Detained in China

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi and Chris Smith have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening U.S. diplomatic advocacy for Americans unjustly detained in China. The legislation, titled the Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt Unjustly Detained Americans in Communist China Act, highlights the cases of Dawn Hunt, a Chicagoan imprisoned since 2014, and Nelson Wells Jr., a New Orleans native sentenced to 22 years in prison after being duped into carrying bags allegedly containing narcotics.

Key Takeaways:

  • The bill directs the U.S. Department of State to develop a diplomatic action plan for Americans unjustly detained in China and their families, provide resources and travel assistance to families of detainees, and issue a formal "declaration of invalidity" to released detainees affirming that their detention in China was unjust and cannot be held against them.
  • The legislation also calls for the Secretary of State to develop a diplomatic action plan within 60 days, including appointing a senior coordinator to prioritize the cases of concern list, exploring international prisoner transfer programs, and reviewing sanction authorities and legal tools.
  • The bill aims to provide support for families, including case assistance, travel resources, and threatens sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for wrongful detentions and coercive "exit bans" under the Global Magnitsky Act.
  • The highlighted cases of Dawn Michelle Hunt, Nelson Wells Jr., and Dr. Gulshan Abbas, a retired medical doctor from China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, are intended to bring attention to the issue of Americans detained in China.
  • The bill has the backing of Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

Statistics:

  • Since 2014, at least 3-4 Americans, including Dawn Hunt, Nelson Wells Jr., and Dr. Gulshan Abbas, have been detained in China on unjust charges.
  • Of these, 2 individuals, including Dawn Hunt, have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while 1 individual, Nelson Wells Jr., has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.
  • The U.S. Department of State has acknowledged the detention of 5 American citizens in China, with 3 of them being held in secretive detention centers in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
  • The bipartisan bill highlights a 60-day timeline for the Secretary of State to develop a diplomatic action plan to address the issue of unjust detentions.
  • Under the Global Magnitsky Act, at least 6 Chinese officials have been sanctioned for human rights abuses, with the act authorizing the U.S. to freeze assets and impose travel bans on individuals responsible for gross human rights violations.

Sources:

  • Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Illinois, ranking member of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party
  • Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
  • Original text: https://democrats-selectcommitteeontheccp.house.gov/media/press-releases/krishnamoorthi-introduces-bipartisan-bill-secure-release-chicagoan-dawn-hunt

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