FAU CHREN Human Rights Colloquium “Presumption of Innocence under China’s ‘National Conditions’” with Dr. Alexandra Kaiser

On 21 January 2026 from 6:15-7:30pm, we will hold a FAU CHREN Human Rights Colloquium featuring Dr Alexandra Kaiser as speaker on Presumption of Innocence under China’s ‘National Conditions’. Please find the details below.

Description

Drawing on broader legal-political discourses within the party-state and institutionalised academia, this book examines one of the most controversial legal principles in Chinese criminal justice: the presumption of innocence. By exploring the evolution of academic discourse surrounding this concept, the book traces its development through changing political climates, from the era of Mao Zedong to the leadership of Xi Jinping. It explains why there is no presumption of innocence in Chinese criminal justice, offering insights into the interplay between law and politics, or varying emphases on ‘national conditions’, over time. The work highlights how periods of reform, particularly during more liberal phases, allowed for the emergence of pluralist perspectives and constructive critique within institutionalised academia, with the concern for better protection of human rights becoming increasingly important. In contrast, the deepening of the autocratic system under Xi Jinping, which has redefined the conception of the criminal justice system and steered it towards a more illiberal direction, has suppressed the advocacy of liberal values, thus ending decades of debate on the question of presumption of innocence in China.

Speaker bio

Alexandra’s research focuses on China and Taiwan. She obtained her doctorate in China Regional Studies and Law from the University of Cologne in 2021. Alexandra has several years of experience in academia and has studied and researched at Tamkang University in Taipei, the Chinese University of Political Science and Law in Beijing, Nanjing University, the Human Rights Center of Central South University in Changsha and King’s College London. Her research was funded by Academia Sinica and the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, among others. Before joining the Chair of Human Rights Law at FAU in March 2025, Alexandra worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Institutum Iurisprudentiae, Academia Sinica in Taipei. Previously, Alexandra worked as a research associate at the Chair of Chinese Legal Culture at the University of Cologne (2017-2020) and as a postdoctoral researcher at the Chair of Human Rights Politics (Prof. Dr. Katrin Kinzelbach) at FAU, where she coordinated a project on “Academic Freedom in the People’s Republic of China” funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (2021-2024).

📸 Disclaimer/Media Notice

Photos and/or videos may be taken during this event for FAU CHREN’s documentation and public outreach (e.g., website, social media). By attending, you consent to this use — unless you inform us otherwise in advance or during the event. If you do not wish to appear in photos or videos, please let the organizing team know in advance or upon arrival.

 ☑️ RSVP

If you are planning to attend, please reserve a place by email to nathalie.schneider@fau.de and eva.m.pils@fau.de