The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Beijing on Tuesday (March 7) to act to address "
serious concerns
" about the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang province.
“
As far as China is concerned, we have opened communication channels with a range of actors to follow up on a variety of human rights issues
,” Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council. , for the traditional speech flying over all the hot spots of human rights abuses.
The first from the Austrian who took office in October.
Possible crimes against humanity
Volker Türk has come under pressure from Western nations and human rights organizations to take a tough stance on Xinjiang following a bombshell report by his predecessor that cited possible crimes against humanity in the far western region of China.
The UN is concerned about protecting minorities such as Xinjiang's Uyghurs and Tibetans, Türk said.
"
In the Xinjiang region, my office has documented serious concerns - including large-scale arbitrary detentions and ongoing family separations - and made important recommendations that require concrete follow-up," he said
.
Read alsoXinjiang: the “Potemkin visit” of the UN
The accusations - documented - on Xinjiang are rejected outright by Beijing.
He also expressed unease with restrictions on public speech in China and the national security law in Hong Kong imposed in 2020 to stamp out dissent following pro-democracy protests.
“
We are also concerned about the severe restriction of civic space more generally, including the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders and lawyers, and the impact of the national security law in Hong Kong. Kong
," said the UN human rights chief.
China will have the opportunity to respond in the afternoon, but the tweeter account of the Chinese Embassy to the UN in Geneva sets the tone.
“
Some countries are expressing their
'concern'
for #humanrights in #Xinjiang, #Tibet and #Hongkong in China.
But the facts speak for themselves
” heads a series of before and after photos.
The left column shows a poverty-stricken Xinjiang in black and white images versus a modern, smiling Xinjiang in color.
The same treatment is reserved for Tibet and Hong Kong.
