Peng Shuai case: enforced disappearances in China, a well-established system?

Audio 20:00

Chinese tennis champion Peng Shuai on January 15 at the Australian Open in Melbourne MAL FAIRCLOUGH AFP / Archives

By: Clémentine Pawlotsky

1 min

The Peng Shuai affair does not stop spilling ink.

It all started in early November (2021) when the Chinese tennis star, ex-world number 1 in doubles, accused a former top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader of forcing him into a sexual relationship 3 years ago. .

His message, posted on the Weibo social network, was quickly censored.

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Peng Shuai then disappeared from radar for three weeks.

Several stars of world tennis and Western countries then mobilized to ask Beijing to shed light on this disappearance.

The young woman finally reappeared on Sunday (November 21, 2021).

She notably spoke with the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) who assures us that she is “safe and sound at home”.

But, the questions raised by this case remain numerous and the case of Peng Shuai is far from being isolated in China.

The opportunity to take a closer look at this phenomenon of presumed enforced disappearances.

Decryption with: 

- Emmanuel Véron

, teacher-researcher specializing in China, associated with INALCO (National Institute of Oriental Languages ​​and Civilizations), co-author with Emmanuel Lincot of

- Eric Mamruth,

 journalist in the Sports Department of RFI. 

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• China

• Tennis

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