47th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council
Item 2: Interactive Dialogue with the High Commissioner
Joint oral statement delivered by Sarah M Brooks
On behalf of several NGOs, including Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)
Tuesday, 22 June 2021
Madame High Commissioner,
As you must be aware, the human rights situation in China remains dire. Major research reports published in the last two months independently reach the same conclusion: the Chinese government is committing crimes against humanity against its Turkic Muslim population. The international community, this Council, and your Office cannot remain silent.
We request that you urgently strengthen monitoring and initiate public reporting on the human rights situation across China.
This is essential to providing objective, independent and concrete information to all stakeholders, and to seeking constructive solutions to protect vulnerable populations from further abuse.
In your last update to this Council, you pointed to the curtailment of fundamental rights and freedoms in the name of national security, especially targeting Uyghurs and Tibetans; restrictions on free speech and detentions linked to the Covid-19 response; the investigation of protesters in Hong Kong; and arbitrary arrest, and unfair trials of lawyers, journalists and defenders.
In the months since, little has changed. More is needed.
We acknowledge your call for unfettered access to ‘all regions of China’. We emphasise that access is not a prerequisite for accountability. Ongoing negotiations should not delay urgently needed action.
Human rights violations across China, Uyghur and Tibetan regions, as well as Hong Kong have become increasingly severe over the last years, even while Chinese authorities have consistently denied meaningful cooperation. We are here as allies, but the victims and communities urgently need you, your Office, and the UN as a whole to respond.
Thank you.
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For a PDF version of this statement, click here
