Hikvision Chairman Targeted For Sanctions As Federal Watchdog Calls Out Hikvision "Serious Religious Freedom Violations"

Published May 21, 2020 11:12 AM

The US government's religious freedom watchdog has criticized Hikvision for being "credibly implicated in serious religious freedom violations". Meanwhile, three US Congressmen have requested Hikvision chairman Chen Zongnian be sanctioned over Hikvision's "complicity in human rights abuses" in Xinjiang.

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These latest developments show continued scrutiny over Hikvision's extensive Xinjiang sales, despite already being sanctioned by the US government over this last October.

In this note, we examine this news, how likely it is, and the potential impact on Hikvision, including:

  • Hikvision Chairman Targeted In Letter
  • Chen Zongnian Background
  • No Response Yet, Dahua Not Targeted
  • Magnistky Sanctions Impact
  • Likelihood Of Chen Getting Sanctioned
  • USCIRF Criticizes Hikvision "Serious Religious Freedom Violations"
  • USCIRF Background
  • Hikvision's Religious Freedom Violations Listed
  • Hikvision Response

USCIRF ********** *********'* "******* ********* ******* **********"

*** ** ********** ** ************* ********* Freedom (******)****** * ******************* *** ** ******* ******** ******** system's**** ** ******** ********* ** ******* *********, ********** calling *** *********'* **********:

*** ***** *** ******** ** ***** investments ** ** ************* **** **** included ******* ******* *********, ********* *********,credibly ********** ** ******* ********* ******* ********** [emphasis added]

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****** ****************** *********** **** *** *** ********** **** "advanced ****** *******" ** ******* ********* minorities ** *****:

*** ******* **********has ******* * ********* ************ ***** *** **** ******** ****** ******* to monitor Uighur Muslims, Tibetan Buddhists, and other religious groups. Religious freedom is an illusion without the right to pray in privacy. [emphasis added]

*** "******** ********" ***** ** ****** is ********** **** ****** ******** ***** ***** ****** ********* ***** ************ *********'* ******** ****** ******* ** install ****** *********** ******* ** ****** 1,000 *******. (*** ** ***** *** based **** **** *******.)

USCIRF **********

*** ****** ** * ** ******* commission **** ******** ****** ********* ******* and ******* *** ** ********** ** such ******. **********'* ***** ****:

****** ** ** ***********, ********** *.*. federal ********** ********** ******* ** *** 1998 ************* ********* ******* *** (****) that ******** *** ********* ***** ** freedom ** ******** ** ****** ******. USCIRF **** ************* ********* ** ******* religious ******* ********** ********, *** ***** policy *************** ** *** *********, *** Secretary ** *****, *** ********.

Hikvision's ********* ******* ********** ******

***** ** ****** ******** ******** ** Hikvision's **** ** ******* ********** ********* freedom ******:

Steps ********* ** ******

** *** ******** ************ *** (*************, ******, **********) ******, ********* ****** **** ** ** "committed ** ********* ***** ******" *** is ******** * "****** ******** *********" staffed **** ******* ** ***** ****** and ***** ****** **** **** ******* independent ******:

*** **** ** ****** ******** ********* is ** **** *** ******* ****** deal **** *** ********* ********** ** the ************* ********, ** ******* ******* our ****** ********** ******; *** ** ensure **** *** *******’ * ********* comply **** ********-********** ******** ******* ********* [...] *** ********* ** ******** ** provide *********** ****** *** *********** ** the ***** ** ********* *** ****** management ****

**** ***** ********* *** ** ******** to **** **** ********* *** ** when ** **** ** ***** ***********. We **** ****** **** ** **** a ******** ** ********* ***** **** information ******** *********.

Hikvision ******** ******** ** ******

* **** *****, ** *** **, three ********** ** *********** (*** **************** ******** ***** ***** ******* ***** ** *******)**** * ******** ** ******** ********* ****** ******* and ***** ********** ********* **** ****** requesting **** ***** *** ********* ** sanctioned **** *****'* ******** ** *****-** and ******** ***** ****** ******:

** ***** ** *** ********* *** Chinese ********* *****'* ***********, ***********, *** cruel ******** ** *****-** [...] *** 're-education' ***** ***** *** ******* ********* Party ********* **** * ******* ****** Muslims *** ***** ****** ********** *** crowded *** **********, ******* ********* ** increased **** ** *****-** *********

******** ** **** **** ** ********* chairman **** ******** *** ********** ********* and *** ********* ** "************ ********* used ** ******* [*****'*] ****** ********"

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Chen ******** **********

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**** ******** ** *********'* ******** ******** and *** ****** ** *** *******'* direct **** ** *** *** ********** by ******* ******, ******% ***-********** ***** ********** ** *********'* *********** ***********. **********, Chen ** **** ******* ** *** *** ********** ******, ** * ******** ** *** National ******'* ********.

**** ** ****** ********* ** ********* in *******, **** *** **** ********** to **** *** ** *********. *******, Chen ******************** ******* ***** ************** * *** ********* ******. **** is **** ***** ******** ******** *** ruling ******* ********* ***** ** ******'* press ******** (************ ******** ******* ***** ********* ***** Leadership, ********** ****'* ******************** ******** ******* ****** *****).

No ******** ***, ***** *** ********

** ***** ***** ************ ********** *** included ** *** ***********'* ****, ***** the *****/******** *********** **** *** ********* to ***.

Magnistky ********* ******

*** ****** ** **************** ********* *********; * ****** ********** ** **** manner ** ******* **:

  • * ****** ** *** ** ****** (cash, **** ******, ***)
  • * *********** ** *** ************ **** US ******** (*******, *********, ***)
  • ********** ** *** ** ****** ******

**** ***** *** **** ** *********/******* impact ** *********'* ********** ** *** sanctions *** ** ** **********, *** Hikvision ******. *******, *** **** ***** further *** ** *********'* **** ***** rights ********** *** **** **/******* ******** even **** ********* ** ** ******** with ****.

Likelihood ** **** ******* **********

******* ** ******** ********, **'* ********* to *** *** ****** ** ** that **** **** ******** *** **********. However, ************** **-***** *********, **'* * ******** ***********.

**** ** *****/******** **** *** ***** the *******, **'* ******** **** **** be ********** *** ******* *********. ********* ***** ****** ****** ***, * ** **** ****** ** both ******** ** ******** ************ ********* ********* ****** *****'* ********, ******** sanctions ** "****** ********* ** *** Government ** *** ******’* ******** ** China" ******** ** ******** **********.

*** **** **** *** ****** ***** officials ****** ** **********, ***** **** Xinjiang's ***** *****. **** ** ** be ****** **** ***, *** ***********'* letter ***** **** *** *** ******* Chen *******'* *********, ************ ***** ** is **** * ******* ********** ******** and *** **** * ******** *********.

**********

********* ** ******* ******** **** ***** over *** ******** ************ ********. **** further ********** *** *******'* ***** *** ambitions ** ******** * ******* ********** player.

** *** ***** ****, *********'* **** strengths ** ***** * ***-********** ******* company **** ****** ***** ***** **** remain **********, ** **** ** ** no ***** ** *********** ******.

Comments (6)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
May 21, 2020

* ****** *** **** ** *********'* business ** **** **** ** *********. Given **** *** *** *********** ************* camps, "**********" *************, *** **** ***** in *********, ** ***** ** ****** just *** **** ********* (** *** of *** ******* ****** ************* *** that ******) *** *** "**" ** a ******* ** *****.

******* ********. *** ****** ** **** excuses *** ****.

(2)
JH
John Honovich
May 22, 2020
IPVM

#*, ******* ********* **** ****** ***** Dahua's ****** ******* ****** ******** *****. The ******* ** ***** *** ****** large *** ********* (**** ******, ***** Telecom, ***.) **** ** *** ** the **********, **** **** *******, **** no, **** ***** ****** ***** **** it. **, **, ********* ** *** forced.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
May 26, 2020

**** ******* ***** ** ***** *** a ******* ******** ***** *** ***** influence ** * **********. **** **** actually *** *** **********, ******* ** owns ***% ** *** ******* *** have *** ** ***** ******* ** its ****. ** ** ******** * national *******, ** *** ****** ***** of *** ****. **, ***** **** the ****** ***** ***** ***** ***** that ** ***'* ****, **'* **** a ********* ******, ******** ****** ** a ********** *** ********* *** ******* the ** *** *** ***.

JH
John Honovich
May 26, 2020
IPVM

******* ** **** ***% ** *** company

**** ** *** ****. *** *** government **** ~**% ** ********* *** is ******** ** ********* ** ** their *********** ***********.

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UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
May 26, 2020

***, ** ***, ******* **** ******, does *** ****** ******** ******* **** regard ** ****** ******* ** *** company *'* ******.

Avatar
Charles Rollet
Jul 10, 2020

******: ***** *** ***************** ******* ********* **** ********, *******, Chen ******** ** *** *** ** them. ***** ********** ***:

  • Chen *******, ********* ***** ********* ** ********
  • Zhu ******, former Deputy Party Secretary of Xinjiang
  • ************,******* ******** *** ********* ***** ********* of *** ******** ****** ******** ****** (police)
  • Huo ******, former Party Secretary of the XPSB

************, ***Xinjiang ****** ******** ****** as a whole was sanctioned as well. This means US persons (companies and individuals) basically cannot transact in any way with the XPSB and those individuals sanctioned.

*** ****** ****** *** *** ********* is *** *****'* ********* *** ************ of *******, *********:

************ * ************* ************, *********, *** indoctrination ******* ** ********

*****-***** ************ ** **** ********* *****, labelled “******** *******,”

*** **** *** ******** *** “********** Joint ********** ********” (****), ** ********** Intelligence (**)-******** ******** ****** **** ******* biometric ******* *** ******** ** ******* in *** ******** ******

**** ** **** **** **** **** doesn't **** **** ******** **** ***** be ********** - **** ******* * possibility.

*** ******** ******* *** ********* **** Zongnian ** ********** **** *** *** received * ******** **** ********.