Human Rights Watch has blasted China in its new report, accusing the Chinese government of human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang region and protesters in Hong Kong, as well as efforts to censor Chinese citizens living abroad. This comes as China has barred the head of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth from entering Hong Kong to present the report. This is Kenneth Roth responding to officials’ claims they had barred his entry for “immigration reasons,” even though U.S. citizens are entitled to visit Hong Kong for up to three months without a visa.

Kenneth Roth: “Why did Beijing put forth this preposterous explanation for barring me? I think the reason is that the Chinese government is terrified of admitting this genuine desire for democracy on territory that they rule, because if they admit that this is an indigenous and natural, a spontaneous desire, rather than what they claim — it’s a foreign imposition, it’s Human Rights Watch inciting people — then what’s happening in Hong Kong might spread to the mainland. And that’s really the big fear.”