In response to a call for input issued by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights, Emile Dirks, research associate at the Citizen Lab, prepared a written submission underlining the legal and human rights implications of the collection and usage of biometric recognition data by the People’s Republic of China.
The submission focuses on widespread biometric collection programs in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) and Qinghai Province and highlights the Chinese government’s failure to provide publicly accessible information, or official documentation detailing the scope, purpose or precise legal rationale for the mass biometric collection.
Drawing on the evidence presented in the submission, Dirks urges the Special Rapporteur to request that the Chinese government clarify the purpose and scope of the collection process, as well as to inform the public whether these programs are in accordance with China’s human rights obligations.
Read the Citizen Lab submission here.
Read the Global Study on the Impact of Counter-Terrorism on Civil Society and Civic Space.