The Berlin event of the “Human Rights in Solidarity: Lee Ming-che European Democracy Advocacy Tour” will take place on Sunday, 11 October 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00, at the first-floor Cultural Hall of the Taipei Representative Office in Germany.
Under the theme “China’s Evolving Transnational Repression Through the Lee Ming-che Case,” the event will feature Lee Ming-che, Tashken Davlet, I-Min Hsiao, and Ivan Choi. Drawing on firsthand experiences of political persecution, research, and human rights advocacy practice, the speakers will discuss the impact of transnational repression on overseas communities and democratic societies, as well as how Taiwan and Europe can strengthen cooperation and support communities facing persecution. All times are in Berlin local time.
The event aims to bring personal stories and civil society experiences into European public discussion, helping participants understand how political persecution affects individuals, families, and communities, while considering how overseas communities can maintain safe spaces for expression and civic participation. The discussion will cover transnational repression and public opinion manipulation, information operations and political interference, victim support, as well as international solidarity and cooperation, connecting the experiences of different communities facing authoritarian pressure.
Human rights activist Lee Ming-che was imprisoned in China from 2017 to 2022 on charges of “subversion of state power.” He will share his firsthand experiences of arrest, trial, and imprisonment, as well as the impact of political persecution on himself and his family. He will also reflect on the importance of international attention and solidarity during his imprisonment. Since returning to Taiwan after his release, Lee has continued his work in democracy and human rights, seeking to increase understanding of the experiences of people facing persecution and to sustain attention to the support needed by victims and their families.
Tashken Davlet, Project Manager at Doublethink Lab, is a Uyghur Taiwanese and a second-generation member of an exile community. He has long worked on Uyghur and broader human rights issues in China and has collaborated with Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Tibetan, and other communities. Drawing on his experience in human rights advocacy and research on Chinese influence, he will discuss how information manipulation, digital surveillance, and transnational repression affect overseas communities, as well as the challenges these pressures pose to freedom of expression, community relations, and democratic resilience.
I-Min Hsiao, Deputy Executive Director of the Association for Victims Support and founder of the Taiwan Victims’ Rights Network, has worked for many years on judicial reform and victim support, with a particular focus on the situation of victims of political persecution and transnational repression. Drawing on his practical experience in victim support, he will discuss the safety, assistance, and space for independent expression that victims need, as well as how they can be supported in participating in public discussion and international advocacy while respecting their wishes and ensuring that they fully understand the risks involved.
Ivan Choi, Project Manager at New School for Democracy and a Hong Kong exile living in Taiwan, will draw on his experience of participating in Hong Kong’s Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement and going into exile in Taiwan, as well as his work at New School for Democracy in advocacy event planning, external communications, and international exchange coordination. He will share how civil society work, artistic creation, and personal storytelling can preserve the memory of resistance, connect different communities, and transform personal experience into sustained human rights advocacy.
The Berlin event is jointly organized by the New School for Democracy, Taiwan Association in Sweden, Kulturverein Ananasli, Walking for Taiwan Association in Europe, and Doublethink Lab, with Junge Taiwan Initiative and Freiheit für Hongkong e.V. as co-organizers. Through cooperation among civil society organizations across borders, the event seeks to connect communities concerned with Taiwan, Hong Kong, and human rights issues in China, while promoting dialogue and mutual understanding between Taiwanese and European civil society.
The Berlin event is part of the “Human Rights in Solidarity” European Democracy Advocacy Tour, taking place from 7 to 16 October, and builds on the experience of last year’s Nordic tour. The seven-member delegation includes the four Berlin speakers, as well as Alicia Wu, Consultant of the Taiwan Association in Sweden; Minnie Lee, part-time staff in Europe at New School for Democracy; and Yongli Ku, a freelance journalist based in Sweden. Their backgrounds in diaspora engagement, political communication research, and journalism bring a broader range of practical perspectives to the tour.
New School for Democracy hopes that the Berlin event can use public dialogue as a starting point, enabling participants to understand human rights issues through the lived experiences of people facing persecution and to consider how concern can be transformed into sustained solidarity. By sharing Taiwan’s experience of democratic practice and civil society advocacy, while engaging with the perspectives of European partners, the delegation hopes to build connections and cooperation that continue beyond the tour, turning cross-border support into a practical force for defending human rights and freedom.
Event Information
Date: Sunday, 11 October 2026
Time: 10:00–12:00 CEST (Berlin local time)
Venue: First-floor Cultural Hall, Taipei Representative Office in Germany
Address: Markgrafenstraße 35, 10117 Berlin
Theme: China’s Evolving Transnational Repression Through the Lee Ming-che Case
Speakers: Lee Ming-che, Tashken Davlet, I-Min Hsiao, Ivan Choi
Organizers: New School for Democracy, Taiwan Association in Sweden, Kulturverein Ananasli, Walking for Taiwan Association in Europe, Doublethink Lab
Co-organizers: Junge Taiwan Initiative, Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.
Media Contact
Ivan Choi
Project Manager, New School for Democracy