UN Human Rights Council – 51st session
Item 4: General Debate – Oral statement on the human rights situation in China
27 September 2022
Mr. Vice-President,
FIDH and its member organisation International Campaign for Tibet condemn Beijing’s relentless repression and forced assimilation of communities in Tibet and Xinjiang through the implementation of laws, policies, and actions that are grossly inconsistent with international human rights law, including treaties to which China is a state party.
We welcome the OHCHR’s recent report on the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which confirms that serious human rights violations have been committed against Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim communities, and that some of these violations may amount to crimes against humanity. We call on the Human Rights Council to convene a formal discussion on the findings and recommendations of the report at the next session.
In Tibet, the Chinese authorities continue to systematically apply policies that violate the fundamental rights of Tibetans, in particular under the leadership of President Xi Jinping. It is deeply disturbing that Chinese authorities have significantly increased policing, including arbitrary collection of DNA from residents (including from children) in many towns and villages throughout the Tibet Autonomous Region. This further strengthens Beijing’s surveillance capabilities over the Tibetan people and represents a serious intrusion on the right to privacy.
Mister President, within the UN system there’s an abundant body of evidence that points to a consistent and broad range of abuses in China, which in many cases amount to the most serious international crimes.
We urge the Council to establish an impartial and independent mechanism to collect and analyze evidence of such abuses with a view to contribute to the promotion of accountability for perpetrators and redress for the victims.
Thank you.