50 countries at UN condemn China for Xinjiang human rights violations
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Photo: Collected
Condemning China for “severe and systematic” human rights violations in the Xinjiang region, 50 countries signed a statement during a UN debate calling for ''urgent attention'' to the atrocities against the Uyghurs.
"We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China, especially the ongoing human rights violations of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang," read the statement signed by mostly Western countries.
The 50 signatories include the United States, UK, Germany, France, Japan, Australia, Turkey, Israel, Guatemala and Somalia.
The condemnation is largely being viewed as a symbolic victory after an earlier attempt to debate on the issue at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was shot down by a majority of the body’s 47 members at China’s insistence.
The need to discuss Uyghurs rights violation came in response to a August report by the UNHRC which claimed that China was committing human rights violations in Xinjiang under the garb of its anti-terrorism and anti-extremism policies.
The signatory countries have urged Beijing to “implement the recommendations of the OHCHR assessment” which include “taking prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in Xinjiang, and to urgently clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing family members and facilitate safe contact and reunion.”
“Such severe and systematic violations of human rights cannot be justified on the basis of counter-terrorism. In view of the gravity of the OHCHR assessment, we are concerned that China has so far refused to discuss its findings,” the statement added.
