Embassy Tulip Award in China awarded to Li Qiaochu - China-en
Embassy Tulip Award in China awarded to Li Qiaochu
On 9 December, the Netherlands Embassy in Beijing announced that it has awarded human rights defender Li Qiaochu with the 2022 Embassy Tulip. Ambassador Wim Geerts wrote a letter to personally inform Ms. Li and to thank her for her dedication to protecting human rights.
Every year, on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, a selection of embassies around the world have the privilege of awarding an Embassy Tulip to honor local human rights defenders for their valuable and courageous work. These local awards exists in parallel with the national Human Rights Tulip, which was awarded to the Viasna Human Rights Center in Belarus on 8 December by Minister of Foreign Affairs Wopke Hoekstra.
Born in 1991, Li Qiaochu has been committed to a wide range of human rights issues, including women’s rights and labor rights. Besides helping and speaking out for others, she has also been vocal in describing her own experiences of being harassed, questioned and detained.
“Your dedication to human rights is an inspiration to many,” Ambassador Geerts writes to Li. “Whether it is your work on labor rights. Your helping hand to those being evicted from their homes. Your relentless struggle to promote gender equality and to fight against gender-based violence. Your solidarity actions for those who are unable to speak for themselves. And your commitment to always pursue justice and speak truth to power.”
Li Qiaochu has been detained since the beginning of 2021. Many have asked for her release since, including the European Union, at the 51st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva in September 2022.
The Netherlands Embassy in Beijing is looking forward to the moment when it is able to give Li Qiaochu the Embassy Tulip in person.