Human rights violations in China, specifically evidence of genocide against Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang, repression in Tibet or suppression of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, are not officially intended to tolerate the 39 countries signed in the UN letter. The United Kingdom began to think about concrete steps.
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Britain considers it one of the ways to point out opposition to China’s repressive behavior absence at the Beijing Winter Olympics scheduled for 2022. The country does not intend to turn a blind eye to evidence of abuse of Uighur Muslims in China, said Foreign Minister Dominic Raab.
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Speaking to Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, which asked about Britain’s non-participation in a sporting event to protest human rights abuses, Raab said: “In general, my instinct is to separate sport from diplomacy and politics, but there are times when that is not possible. Let’s consider what further action we need to take. “
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Another option offered is to impose economic sanctions on officials responsible for repression. Not only, according to Raab, China is guilty of gross and serious human rights violations against the Xinjiang Uighurs, who are being forced to undergo sterilization and forced labor, something that can be “further feared” in the future.
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39 countries opposed human rights abuses, calling on Tuesday’s UN Human Rights Council to conduct an independent inquiry into the situation in Xinjiang. The resolution was tabled by Germany and supported by the United Kingdom. A similar proposal was made in June, in recent months Bosnia, Spain, Italy and Poland have joined the alliance. The Czech signature is missing.
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Among other things, the pirate MP Jan Lipavský, who will ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomáš Petříček for an explanation, objected to the Czech passivity. “I am going to submit a written interpellation. This is not the first time that the Czech Republic has refused to join a multilateral act, “Lipavský told the News List. “I have already interpelled Mr. Petříček on a similar topic, and the retroactive argument was that we have already said ours and we have no reason to join anything else as full members of the council. However, I believe that the Czech Republic should join these initiatives and be part of that common position. I consider it a mistake to say, on the one hand, that we should be united, on the other hand, we are going alone in this. “
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#ThirdCommittee debate: 39 countries call on China to respect human rights, particularly rights of persons belonging to religious and ethnic minorities, especially in Xinjiang & Tibet.
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— German Mission to UN (@GermanyUN) October 6, 2020
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After describing the situation in Xinjiang, Dominic Raab pointed out that the legal limit for proving genocide is not just an attempt to destroy a minority, but only an intention to destroy it. “The more evidence we have and the more the international community focuses on it, the more I think we need to think very carefully about the steps we take,” he said.
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“Concerns about what is happening to the Uyghurs – arrests, ill-treatment and forced sterilization – are not something we can turn our backs on.” Raab has also criticized some Islamic countries for being reluctant to stand up to Muslim ethnic genocide. “Obviously, China has a huge lead both economically and politically, and the question is to what extent it prevents others from speaking when they can and should speak.”
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The joint statement, signed on behalf of 39 countries, reports a worrying increase in reports of gross human rights violations in China. “There are strict restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and on freedom of movement, association and expression, as well as on Uighur culture,” the letter said. In addition to the Uighurs, it is described as a worrying situation in Hong Kong and Tibet. “We call on China to allow immediate, meaningful and free access to Xinjiang through an independent investigation, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (…). We also call on China to respect Hong Kong’s freedom and rights. “
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