By Tenzin Choetso
Geneva: UN Member States expressed concern over China’s continued violations of human rights in Tibet at the ongoing 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Member states and observer including the Czech Republic, Germany, European Union, France, Finland and Sweden expressed concern over the situation in Tibet. Furthermore, the United Kingdom and Belgium voiced against Chinese authorities crack down on religious groups and human rights defenders.
Under item 4, which calls for human rights situation that requires attention from the Human Rights Council, Finland delivered a statement on behalf of the European Union. The European Union called China to respect human rights, especially in Tibet and Xinjiang. The EU is “gravely concerned about detentions and trails of human rights defenders”.
Highlighting the 30th anniversary of Tiananmen Square protest, the delegate of the Czech Republic called the Human Rights Council to address the situation of human rights defenders and lawyers in China. The delegate called upon China to release all imprisoned human rights defenders including Tashi Wangchuk. Czech further urged China to uphold its international obligation, especially in Tibet and Xinjiang. Similarly, Finland called China to respect its human rights obligation, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang. Finland expressed deep concern over China’s “widespread surveillance and profiling based on ethnicity”.
Germany, France and Belgium also raised the deteriorating situation of human rights defenders in China. France continues to remain concern over “worrisome situation”, in particular in Tibet and Xinjiang, said the delegate. Expressing concern over China’s ongoing attack on human rights defenders, Belgium called upon China “to take all necessary steps to protect the physical integrity” of human rights defenders.
China’s systematic discrimination against the plight of Tibetans and Uyghurs “is deeply disturbing”, said the delegate from Germany. Germany also called for the release of all imprisoned human rights defenders, including Tashi Wangchuk. Germany further calls upon China to “release and protect all human rights defenders, adhere to universal human rights commitments, stop criminalizing human rights defenders and allow meaningful access for independent observers”.
Sweden called on China to protect the rights of minority groups particularly Tibetans and Uyghur. United Kingdom
The delegate of the United Kingdom expressed concern over China’s crackdown on religious freedom and called China to respect freedom of religion and belief including Buddhist.
The three-week-long ongoing 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council concludes on 12 July, Friday.
-Report filed by Tibet Bureau, Geneva
