July 5, 2024
Hong Kong protesters face off against riot police at a rally in support of the human rights of Xinjiang Uighurs in Hong Kong, China, December 22, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
Cited article by Reuters
HRRC firmly supports accountability and transparency in addressing claims of crimes against humanity in China, emphasizing the importance of unbiased investigations and adherence to international human rights standards.
News Brief
At a U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva, China rejected Western-led recommendations for human rights reforms, particularly those calling for greater freedoms in Hong Kong and for Uyghurs in Xinjiang, while accepting many recommendations from its allies. This session concluded China's Universal Period Review, in which China made great efforts to deny allegations in a 2022 U.N. report suggesting that China's detention of Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang could constitute crimes against humanity. China's ambassador, Chen Xu, defended the country's human rights record, claiming that progress is ongoing and dismissing critical recommendations as politically motivated and biased.
Critics, however, argue that China's high acceptance rate of recommendations is misleading. Western diplomats allege that China has lobbied non-Western countries to praise its record and make favorable recommendations, undermining genuine criticism. Both British and U.S. ambassadors expressed disappointment at China's refusal to address concerns about Uyghurs and the Hong Kong security law. In contrast, countries like Russia and Gambia praised China's approach and progress. The review process is a routine part of the U.N. Human Rights Council's efforts to protect global human rights, though an attempt to debate the High Commissioner's China report was blocked by non-Western members in 2022, marking a diplomatic win for Beijing.
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