UN OHCHR on China: ‘Problematic issues remain on Xinjiang’

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (‘UN OHCHR’) has said that it ‘understands that many problematic laws and policies remain in place’ in China, relating to Xinjiang, following a visit by the Office to the region and engagement with authorities there.

The visit was made in connection with the Office’s updating of a previous assessment of human rights in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in 2022. Since then, it said,

‘The High Commissioner and the Office have had detailed exchanges with the Government of China on a range of critical issues, such as counter-terrorism laws and policies, criminal justice, other policies of concern that impact on the human rights of ethnic and religious minorities, including in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Tibet Autonomous Region, equality and non-discrimination, as well as national security and human rights concerns in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.’

In its update, it said, ‘We have called again on the authorities to undertake a full review, from the human rights perspective, of the legal framework governing national security and counter-terrorism and to strengthen the protection of minorities against discrimination. Allegations of human rights violations, including torture, need to be fully investigated.’ Asked about the UN OHCHR’s finding, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lin Jian said,

‘China stands ready to have constructive exchange and cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on the basis of mutual respect. We believe that the OHCHR needs to fulfill its mandate in a just and objective manner, respect countries’ sovereignty, respect facts, conduct constructive dialogue and cooperation with countries, reject acts that politicize human rights or stoke division and confrontation, and refrain from being used by political forces aiming at containing and vilifying China.’

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2024/08/china-update-work-un-human-rights-office