SYDNEY (AP) — Human Rights Watch says China’s government and its supporters have monitored, harassed and intimidated pro-democracy Chinese students living in Australia. The group’s new report also says Australian universities have failed to protect the students’ academic freedoms. Human Rights Watch says fear caused by China’s intimidation has intensified in recent years. Many Chinese students and academics in Australia are terrified of reprisals against their families in China and now censor their behavior despite being thousands of kilometers from Beijing. Universities Australia says the report is sobering but unsurprising and insists universities are actively working to combat foreign interference.
