Activists Investigating Trump-Linked Factory Have Gone Missing

Two labor activists went missing while investigating a Chinese factory that manufactures shoes for Ivanka Trump’s eponymous clothing line, and a third has been detained by local police, according to a recent story from the Business of Fashion.

“Hua Haifeng, Li Zhao and Su Heng, working undercover under the direction of New York-based China Labor Watch… have been unreachable by phone” since last weekend, the article says.

Li Zhao and Su Heng’s whereabouts are still unknown, while Hua Haifeng was confirmed to be in the custody of the local police and accused of “illegal eavesdropping,” according to his wife.

China Labor Watch had been investigating the Haujian-owned facility in question for the past year, even sending a letter to Trump herself in April, alleging myriad mistreatment of workers that included forcing employees to work more than 12 hours in a day for wages that amounted to a dollar an hour.

“One of 15 factories that make products” for Trump — the factory also makes products Coach and Marc Fisher Footwear Co. — Huajian representatives have yet to make a statement, falling in line with the silence from the Trump camp, who, predictably, declined to comment.

(Seriously, just one time be like, “These allegations are troubling. We don’t condone that behavior and we’ll look into the matter further.” Just one time, Trumps. Please. Anyways…)

According to the China Labor Watch, this is the first time in 17 years that activists under their employ have been detained by police, making an already upsetting story even more so.

You can read more about it at The Business of Fashion.