[Urgent Appeal] Safety at June 4th Commemorations: A Call to Address Sexual Harassment
Recent developments in Japan and Europe have made it imperative to urgently call upon academic and human rights institutions to establish more rigorous guest invitation procedures and stronger safety mechanisms to prevent harm or re-traumatization caused by sexual harassment.
In mid-May 2025, Meiji University in Tokyo and Amnesty International Japan invited Wang Dan, one of the student leaders of the 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy movement, to speak at a June 4th commemoration event. However, Wang has been publicly accused of sexual harassment by multiple individuals, with one case confirmed through an official investigation by National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan. Despite this, Wang has neither taken responsibility nor shown remorse. After some feminists raised concerns, the event was canceled, citing “safety considerations.” However, it remains unclear whether “safety” includes protection from sexual harassment and its associated harms.
In late May 2025, Liu Zhaoyang, a dissident who, in recent years, also faced multiple public accusations of sexual harassment, was invited to a June 4th event hosted by Amnesty International Luxembourg. The event was later canceled following several complaints, but the organizers have not yet issued a public statement regarding the cancellation.
Other recent incidents remain fresh in our memory:
Former human rights lawyer Teng Biao has been accused of attempted rape and sexual harassment by multiple women. Despite serious allegations and reports by reputable international media, some prominent academics have continued to endorse him. In March 2024, Meiji University’s Institute for International Labor Studies invited Teng to speak at a symposium. When confronted by survivors and feminist activists, the university responded only by citing its existing anti-harassment policy, without directly addressing the allegations or concerns raised.
In early 2024, Tsai Chung-kuo, a figure of the 1989 Democracy Movement, was accused of sexually harassing a fellow panelist at a public event. Although a legal complaint has been filed and a group of supporters has issued a joint letter demanding accountability, Tsai has neither acknowledged the harm nor apologized. Despite these serious allegations, he was prominently featured at a June 4th memorial event in Paris.
Why are these pro-democracy or human rights figures consistently shielded from taking accountability when facing credible allegations of sexual harassment or gender-based violence? Why do prestigious academic and human rights institutions continue to invite them to events, even in the absence of reflection, apology, or any form of accountability?
Such repeated invitations not only re-traumatize survivors but also perpetuate harm to all those advocating for equality and the eradication of sexual violence. Such actions risk creating new victims. These incidents reveal structural problems and a lack of gender sensitivity in many academic and human rights institutions.
We therefore make the following urgent appeal to academic and human rights institutions, and all public event organizers:
Conduct due diligence before extending invitations.
Allegations of sexual harassment or gender-based violence must be part of the consideration when selecting guest speakers. For individuals who have faced public accusations, additional care and verification are required to avoid endangering participants or re-traumatizing survivors.
Respond responsibly when concerns are raised.
Suppose an invited speaker is later found to have engaged in sexual harassment or similar misconduct. In such cases, organizers should transparently communicate with the affected parties and critics and take constructive steps to address the issue, rather than remaining silent or deflecting responsibility.
Improve anti-harassment protocols.
Many existing policies apply only to internal members of an institution and do not include visiting speakers or guests at short-term events, creating dangerous blind spots in the system.
Academic freedom and freedom of speech do not include freedom from accountability. Just as some may argue that we should not automatically “cancel” someone because of these allegations, we also should not excuse their harmful behaviors because of their contributions to human rights and pro-democracy movements. Public platforms should not be used to whitewash their reputations or suppress valid concerns.
We call on all institutions committed to justice and equality to take allegations of sexual violence seriously and to actively work towards creating safe, transparent, and accountable public spaces for commemoration and dialogue.
Queer Feminist Solidarity Group in Japan
League of Chinese Feminists at William and Mary
June 4, 2025
Appendix: Suggested Resources for Action
If you would also like to speak up or take action regarding similar incidents, feel free to refer to the following examples of letters of concern and public statements:
<Chinese>
◆ Joint Statement Against Sexual Violence Within Democratic Movements:
(Initiated by: Voices for Equality and Free Voice)
◆ Open Letter to Institute of Transnational Labour Studies, Meiji University – Regarding Teng Biao’s Appearance at the Symposium:
(Initiated by: Feminists in Japan)
<Japanese>
◆ Open Letter Regarding Teng Biao’s Lecture at Meiji University:
(Initiated by: Feminists in Japan)
◆ Letter of Concern Sent to Meiji University Regarding Wang Dan’s Invitation to Speak at the June 4th Commemoration:
(Initiated by Feminist Activists)
<English>
◆ Call to Cancel Liu Zhaoyang’s Speech at Amnesty International Event:
(Initiated by: Concerned Individuals for Gender Justice and Human Rights)
◆ Concerns Regarding Recent Amnesty International Event in Meiji University:
(Feminists raising concerns about the invitation of Wang Dan)
Translator: Chestnuts, 小猪
The original text is available via the following link: 【紧急呼吁】纪念六四需要保持对性骚扰的警...
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