Sydney [Australia], August 17 : The Chinese government is allegedly targeting Uyghur Australians visiting Xinjiang, questioning them about members of the Uyghur community in Australia and pressuring them to gather information on activists, organisations and Uyghur-language schools, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW).
In a report, HRW said such actions amount to transnational repression and are having a chilling effect on the rights and activities of Uyghurs living in Australia. The organisation said Chinese authorities are exploiting separated families as a means of monitoring and intimidating the diaspora.
HRW said it interviewed 11 Uyghur Australian citizens and permanent residents in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in April and May 2026, including recent visitors to Xinjiang and Australia-based activists.
According to the organisation, three Uyghur Australians who travelled to Xinjiang on Australian passports under a visa-free programme said their families had to obtain approval from local authorities before their visits. One visitor reportedly had to stay at a government-designated hotel and provide authorities with details of daily activities.
Another Uyghur Australian told HRW that he was interrogated more than a dozen times, including during one session lasting over seven hours. Authorities allegedly sought addresses and phone numbers of prominent Uyghur activists in Australia and pressured him to monitor their activities and photograph them after returning to Australia.
A third person interviewed by HRW said she faced intense pressure because of concerns for her own safety and that of her family. Other interviewees said they were questioned about Uyghur-language schools in Australia.
HRW also said many Uyghurs in Australia remain unable to communicate freely with relatives in Xinjiang, with some calls allegedly subject to official monitoring. The organisation said the restrictions have discouraged some members of the diaspora from returning to Xinjiang despite the visa-free programme.
HRW has called on Australia and other governments to issue clear travel advisories, establish safe reporting mechanisms, pursue appropriate criminal investigations and support family reunification for affected Uyghur families.