FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2026
Order No. 841 takes effect September 15; FCM calls for published implementation rules, judicial review, and safeguards against arbitrary or politically motivated restrictions on freedom of movement.
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 5, 2026 — The Free China Movement (FCM) calls on the Mainland Chinese Communist Government to ensure that revised exit-entry regulations under State Council Order No. 841, scheduled to take effect September 15, are implemented transparently and are not used to expand arbitrary restrictions on the freedom of Mainland Chinese citizens to leave and return to their own country.
Freedom of movement is a fundamental human right. No Mainland Chinese citizen should lose the ability to travel abroad because of an unpublished blacklist, an unexplained administrative decision, political or religious activity, peaceful criticism of the government, or pressure imposed on family members.
FCM’s review of Order No. 841 also underscores the importance of factual accuracy. The published regulation does not itself establish a universal new requirement that all students, doctors, university employees or private-sector workers obtain employer permission before leaving Mainland China.
Existing passport-custody and travel-approval systems, however, already apply to various categories of Communist Party, state, public-institution, state-owned-enterprise and other designated personnel, while individual institutions may impose additional internal requirements.
That distinction makes transparency even more important.
FCM Calls for Six Basic Safeguards
- Publication of implementing rules — All implementing regulations, eligibility standards and categories of persons subject to special exit controls should be publicly available.
- Written reasons for restrictions — Whenever a passport is withheld or permission to leave Mainland China is denied, the affected person should receive written notice identifying the specific legal basis.
- Independent judicial review — Every person subjected to an exit restriction should have access to meaningful appeal and independent judicial review.
- An end to political exit bans — Exit restrictions must not be imposed as punishment for peaceful political activity, religious belief, journalism, legal advocacy or criticism of the government.
- No collective punishment — Family members must not be subjected to travel restrictions or other coercive measures because of another person’s political or civic activities.
- Public accountability — Authorities should publish annual statistics identifying the number of exit restrictions imposed and their legal grounds.
Freedom of Movement Should Not Depend on Political Loyalty
A modern government should not fear the free movement of its own citizens.
Mainland China belongs to its people—not to the Chinese Communist Party, its security agencies, or any individual ruler.
The right to leave one’s country and return to it should be protected by law, not dependent upon political loyalty or administrative discretion.
The Free China Movement will monitor implementation of Order No. 841 after September 15 and document credible evidence of arbitrary or politically motivated restrictions affecting Mainland Chinese citizens.
FCM also calls on democratic governments, international human-rights organizations, journalists and researchers to monitor implementation of the new regulations and distinguish carefully between restrictions contained in the published national regulation and separate passport-control or travel-approval practices imposed by particular government bodies, institutions or employers.
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Free China Movement / 自由中国运动
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About the Free China Movement
The Free China Movement advocates for freedom, democracy, human rights, constitutional government and the rule of law for the people of Mainland China. FCM documents political and religious repression, supports peaceful democratic change, and advances a future in which fundamental rights are protected by constitutional institutions rather than subordinated to one-party political power.
Free China Movement / 自由中国运动
https://freechina.live/
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