An Australian Senate Committee has been informed that approximately 10,000 foreigners, including Australians, are currently being held in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) prison system. During a hearing on September 26th, Peter Humphrey, a former British journalist and businessman with extensive experience in China, shared his personal account of being wrongfully detained by the communist regime. Humphrey and his Chinese American wife were arrested in 2013 on false charges related to “information gathering.” Prior to their arrest, the couple operated a consultancy company that assisted clients in navigating business risks in China. They spent two years imprisoned in Shanghai before being released due to health issues.
Following his release, Humphrey began connecting with families who were struggling to secure the release of their loved ones detained arbitrarily by the CCP. Through his research, he estimated that there are around 10,000 foreigners imprisoned in China and many of them have been wrongfully arrested. Humphrey also highlighted that neither Australians nor foreigners receive fair legal proceedings from the CCP.
Humphrey described China’s judicial system as a tool of oppression rather than justice. He explained that all components of the system—police, prosecution, judiciary, prisons—operate under complete control of the regime without independence or impartiality. Cases are built upon forced confessions and witness statements obtained through coercion.
Humphrey also shed light on the harsh living conditions endured by prisoners within CCP’s prisons. These conditions include overcrowded cells where prisoners sleep on floors and consume unsanitary food. Prisoners are subjected to forced labor for commercial profit and undergo brainwashing through mandatory thought reports. Proper medical treatment is often withheld even for serious illnesses like cancer.
Furthermore, Humphrey expressed concerns about Western governments’ response to their citizens’ detention in China. He criticized what he called a “two-tier response,” where consular visits provide limited support while intervention is refused when it comes to influencing legal processes.
Humphrey urged Australia and other Western democracies to prioritize individual citizens over commercial relations with China when dealing with cases of wrongful detention. He suggested developing institutional frameworks and legislation specifically targeting arbitrary detentions by foreign governments like China.
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