China has illegal police stations in the Netherlands to monitor and put pressure on dissidents

The Chinese police opened at least two offices in the Netherlands (REUTERS / Tyrone Siu) (TYRONE SIU /)

China has had branches or “illegal police stations” in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam since at least 2018.which he also allegedly uses to monitor and exert pressure on Chinese dissidents displaced to the Netherlands, according to a journalistic investigation published on Tuesday.

The Dutch news service RTL Nieuws and the collective of investigative journalists “Follow the Money” published an investigation that ensures that the Chinese police opened at least two offices in the Netherlands, without informing the Dutch government, and “there are strong indications that the branches are used to pressure Chinese dissidents.

These media, which publish photographs of these offices, explain that they are called “police stations abroad” and Chinese citizens can even renew their Chinese driving licenses there and report changes in their marital status, but the investigation shows that the Dutch government has not received any notification from China about these offices.

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In addition, these tasks are reserved for embassies or consulates, which is regulated by the Vienna Convention, adopted by both China and the Netherlands.

wang jinyua young Chinese dissident, warns that these “police stations” are also trying to contact Chinese citizens critical of Beijing and assures that he himself has been persecuted by the Chinese police in Rotterdam for three years, accused of “insulting war heroes” for criticizing the regime on social networks.

“He asked me to go back to China to solve my problems. He also told me to think about my parents, ”says Wang about a call received from the Rotterdam office. He claims that he has received death threats and has been harassed on the street.

The police of the Chinese region of Lishui would have opened in June 2018 the first Chinese office in Amsterdam, awarded as one of the best ten in an internal election last year, and directed by two men who made a career in the Chinese police, according to a poster published by RTL showing the head of the police station and the award received from Beijing.

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China has branches or “illegal police stations” in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam (Gettyimages) (Jorg Greuel /)

Also, earlier this year, the Fuzhou city police opened the other branch, located in a discreet house in Rotterdam, without a sign on the facade, according to the investigation.

China would have at least 46 “overseas police stations” in various cities around the world, from Dublin and Barcelona to New York and Ontario, according to this research. An official promotional video explains how these bureaus are helping to “crack down on local and illegal criminal activity in Fuzhou involving overseas Chinese.”

RTL and “Follow the Money” launched this investigation after tips obtained from the Spanish human rights organization Safeguard Defenders, and analyzed Chinese government web pages, public messages on Chinese social media, and articles on Chinese news pages and publications. addressed to the Chinese in the Netherlands.

A spokesman for the Dutch Foreign Ministry assured that “these agencies are illegal” and warned that the Dutch authorities will investigate “what exactly they are doing here and appropriate measures will be taken”, while admitting that they have received information from the Chinese community in Netherlands about threats to some opponents.

(With information from EFE)

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Source-www.infobae.com