Forty-three countries from all continents demanded Thursday, October 21 from China, in a joint declaration read at the UN by France, to "
guarantee full respect for the rule of law
" with regard to Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where respect for human rights remains "
particularly
" worrying according to them, which Beijing strongly denied.
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"
We call on China to allow immediate and unimpeded access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and its office,
" added French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, during a virtual meeting of the third commission of the UN General Assembly specializing in human rights.
A joint declaration
"
We are particularly concerned about the situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region,
" he said, citing credible information on the existence "
of political re-education camps where more than a million people are arbitrarily detained.
".
The declaration common to the 43 countries - United States, European countries, Asia, etc - speaks of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence and forced separation of children, targeting “
Disproportionately Uyghurs and members of other minorities
”.
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Denouncing "
lies
" and a "
plot to harm China,
" Chinese Ambassador to the UN, Zhang Jun, quickly intervened in the meeting to denounce and dismiss "
unfounded accusations
". "
Xinjiang enjoys development and the people are emancipating themselves every day and are proud of the progress made,
" he said, notably supported by Cuba, which criticized interference in China's internal affairs.
In 2019 and 2020, carried respectively by the United Kingdom and Germany, a similar text was made public under the same conditions.
After 23 signatories two years ago, the declaration garnered the support of 39 countries last year to which were added in 2021 including Turkey, Eswatini, Portugal and the Czech Republic, according to diplomats.
On the other hand, no longer appear in the signatories this year, neither Haiti, to relations with China complicated since the recognition by Port-au-Prince of Taiwan, nor Switzerland.
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According to a diplomatic source, Switzerland's basic position on the Uyghurs has not changed, but the country recently hosted a high-level meeting between the United States and China and decided to prioritize its role as facilitator. between these two powers rather than signing the annual declaration calling for respect for human rights in Xinjiang.
According to diplomats, China is increasing pressure every year to dissuade UN members from signing, threatening not to renew a peace mission there or to prevent the construction of a new embassy in China to such other.
