WEB DESK
Nearly 40 countries criticized China’s treatment of minority groups, especially in Xinjiang and Tibet, yesterday in a joint statement read at a meeting of the General Assembly’s human rights committee. They also urged China to uphold autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, and to respect the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary.
The United States, many European countries, Japan and others called on China to allow unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers including UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, and to urgently refrain from detaining Uighurs and members of other minorities.
Their statement, read by Germany’s U.N. Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, said its 39 signatories shared the concerns expressed by 50 independent U.N. human rights experts in an extraordinary letter in June in which they urged the international community to take all appropriate measures to monitor China and act collectively and decisively to ensure its government respects human rights.
They raised concerns including Beijing’s treatment of ethnic minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang, allegations of excessive force against protesters, reports of retaliation against people who spoke out about the coronavirus outbreak, and proposed new security law of Hong Kong.
There are severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and the freedoms of movement, association, and expression as well as on Uighur culture, they said.
In Hong Kong, they urged Chinese authorities to guarantee the rights protected by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Sino-British Joint Declaration which transferred British control of Hong Kong to China, including freedoms of speech, the press and assembly. China rejected the June statement and has pushed back on any outside interference in Hong Kong.