A US citizen and Myanmar scholar was detained in China shortly after arriving for a three-day academic workshop. This incident has been confirmed by both family members and US officials, raising concerns about the treatment of foreign academics in the country.
His family and the US government have denied the allegations. The next day, his wife, Sylvia Zin, received a call from a Chinese number. When Sylvia asked if Min Zin had been detained, the caller ended the call. The lights remain on throughout the day and he is watched by guards. He is not allowed to go outside or get sunlight. Min Zin has met US consular officials three times since his detention. The officials were not allowed to discuss his case with him. The US government has declared Min Zin to be wrongfully detained and has asked China to release him. US officials are still trying to determine exactly why Min Zin was detained. They believe his past as a student activist in Myanmar and his academic work supported by US government grants may have led to the attention of Chinese security agencies.
Min Zin, who was invited to attend a workshop on economic cooperation, has been held in China since June 3 on allegations of espionage, according to The Washington Post. The meetings lasted around 30 minutes and took place in a hotel conference room while Chinese officials watched.
The caller reportedly mentioned a “compulsory preliminary investigation” and possibly referred to China’s Ministry of State Security. Min Zin is being kept in a small, windowless room, according to information shared with the family through the US Consulate. His family said he appears to be in reasonably good physical condition but has complained of knee pain. A State Department spokesperson said Min Zin was invited to China by official organisations and was entrapped by Chinese security services. The US government says the accusations against him are unfounded. China, however, says Min Zin is under “criminal coercive measures”. A Chinese Embassy spokesperson said his legal rights had been protected.
