Switzerland joins Uyghur declaration
50 UN countries condemn human rights situation in Xinjiang
Switzerland joins Uyghur declaration
Switzerland and 49 other UN member states have joined a declaration denouncing serious and systematic human rights violations in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.
Switzerland joins a United Nations statement on the Uyghurs. The picture shows the UN headquarters in Geneva. (archive image)
The states are deeply concerned about ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, the statement read by Canada on Monday said.
The statement was made before the UN General Assembly’s Human Rights Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs. In addition to Switzerland, the signatory states include Germany, France, Austria, the USA, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, Ukraine and Turkey.
The serious and systematic violations of human rights could not be justified by fighting terrorism. Citing a report released in August by UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, states are concerned that China has so far refused to discuss the findings of the Bachelet report.
The report, released by Bachelet at the end of August shortly before the end of her term in office, denounces gross human rights violations in the Xinjiang region and sees evidence of crimes against humanity. Among other things, there is talk of credible allegations of torture. China regularly rejects all allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang – and claims to be fighting “terrorism” in the province.
The signatory states of the declaration that has now been read out called on Beijing to implement the recommendations of the UN report. This includes taking swift steps to release all those arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang and clarifying the fates and whereabouts of missing family members.
At the beginning of October, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva rejected a debate requested by Western states on the situation in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.
The human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) is now asking the panel to make another attempt. The diplomatic pressure on Beijing to answer for the “human rights violations” in Xinjiang is growing, said HRW director responsible for the UN, Louis Charbonneau on Monday.
(SDA)