International human rights organizations and U.S. policy institutes are calling on Beijing to “immediately and unconditionally release” Min Zin, a prominent Myanmar scholar and naturalized U.S. citizen, who has been detained in China for nearly a month on allegations of espionage.
Min Zin, the executive director of the Institute for Strategy and Policy–Myanmar (ISP-Myanmar), was arrested by Chinese authorities on June 3 in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, located near the China-Myanmar border.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian later confirmed the detention, stating that Min Zin is currently under investigation for espionage and actions “endangering China’s national security.”
Rights groups warn of academic chill
In a press release issued on July 1, the international human rights group Fortify Rights sharply criticized Beijing’s actions, asserting that the Chinese government is using overly broad national security laws to silence independent analysts.
“The Chinese government has repeatedly invoked national security as a justification for restricting fundamental freedoms and silencing critical voices,” said Benedict Rogers, senior director at Fortify Rights.
“The detention of Min Zin raises serious concerns not only for his rights and well-being, but also for scholars, researchers, journalists, and those engaged in public affairs.”
ISP-Myanmar issued a response on June 17, clarifying that Min Zin had traveled to Kunming for the sole purpose of attending an academic workshop. The think tank maintains that the charges are entirely baseless and has demanded his safe return.
Pressure mounts on Washington
Because Min Zin is a naturalized American citizen, major U.S.-based advocacy and policy groups are turning up the pressure on Washington to intervene.
The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, alongside Human Rights Watch, has formally urged the Trump administration to officially designate Min Zin as “wrongfully detained.” Such a designation would elevate his case within the U.S. Department of State, triggering specialized diplomatic channels aimed at negotiating his release.
In a letter to the State Department, Randall G. Schriver, director of the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security, condemned the arrest:
“These charges are baseless: Min Zin and ISP-Myanmar conduct independent academic research on governance and human rights issues in Myanmar. We call on the U.S. Department of State to make every effort to ensure his timely release and urge China to facilitate his safe return home to be reunited with his wife and daughter.”
Min Zin’s involvement in political affairs dates back to his youth in Myanmar, where he was a student leader during the historic Aug. 8, 1988 (“8888”) pro-democracy uprising against the military dictatorship.
A systemic lack of transparency
After fleeing political persecution, he studied in the United States and obtained citizenship. He later founded ISP-Myanmar, an independent, non-partisan, and non-governmental think tank widely respected for its data-driven research on Myanmar’s complex political, socioeconomic, and conflict landscapes following the 2021 military coup.
Fortify Rights noted that more than three weeks have passed since Min Zin’s initial arrest, yet Chinese authorities have failed to provide a clear legal basis for his ongoing detention.
Activists warn that the secrecy surrounding his case raises immediate red flags regarding due process, his right to legal counsel, and the denial of regular consular assistance guaranteed to foreign nationals under international law.
“This case extends beyond Min Zin,” Rogers emphasized. “The detention of a scholar traveling to attend an academic workshop, combined with the limited information made public about the case, raises broader concerns about transparency, academic freedom, and the treatment of those who research, analyze, and write about China.”
