Geneva [Switzerland], July 5 (ANI): Several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) slammed China for rejecting recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at UNHRC’s 56th session intended to address the severe human rights issues of the country.
China ignored calls to implement UN findings and dismissed all serious criticism of its human rights record, refusing to budge on the documented plight of Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, human rights activists.
During the 26th meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) 56th session, held in Geneva on Thursday the Chinese diplomats refused to adopt several major recommendations of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) intended to address the severe human rights issues of the country.
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Responding to the dismissal of the UPR recommendations, in a joint statement on behalf of 29 NGOs delivered at the Human Rights Council after China’s remarks, International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) urged China to ‘genuinely engage with the UN to enact meaningful reforms’ in line with the recommendations from the UN’s Xinjiang report, UN Treaty Bodies and UN Special Rapporteurs.
An ISHR statement mentioned that Beijing’s dismissal of recommendations echoing UN findings, seeking access to the whole territory for UN experts, and its acts of intimidation against civil society trying to join the review removed any doubt about its lack of goodwill.
The joint statement also stated, “In the absence of genuine efforts from Beijing to engage, it is equally imperative that the Human Rights Council establish a monitoring and reporting mechanism on China, as repeatedly called for by over 40 UN experts since 2020.”
According to the statement, the Chinese representative countered the serious concerns and criticism from the United States and the United Kingdom, as they called on Beijing to take urgent measures to end the persecution of religious and ethnic minorities in the country’s Uyghur region, and to end reprisals against activists and lawyers seeking to enforce human rights covenants.
Several countries, like Russia and Venezuela, supported China, stating that, Beijing met its human rights obligations and discarded documented abuses as ideologically motivated.
The statement also mentioned, “We regret that China dismissed 30 per cent of recommendations received–unsurprisingly related to the plight of Uyghurs, Tibetans, people of Hong Kong, feminists and LGBT activists, human rights defenders, lawyers and journalists–an increase from 18 per cent from five years ago. This shows a blatant disregard for human rights principles. The claim that some are ‘already implemented’ is deceitful, in light of damning UN findings”.
“Beijing scrapped calls for unrestricted access to the country for UN experts; if no abuses are being committed, then why not accept the 15 pending visit requests from UN experts?” the ISHR questioned.
UK also called on Chinese authorities to end the persecution of minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet and for all individuals persecuted under Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
United States representatives called for the release of all those facing arbitrary detention, citing the findings of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and also urging Beijing to end its practice of pursuing dissent even outside its own borders and engaging in transnational repression. (ANI)
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