50 countries demonstrate concern at human rights violation in China, urge to free detained Uyghurs

Fifty mainly Western countries urged China on Monday to fully implement all recommendations in a U.N. report accusing country of possible “crimes against humanity" against Uyghurs and or mostly Muslim ethnic groups, including taking prompt steps to release all those “arbitrarily deprived of ir liberty” in far western province of Xinjiang.

Cana’s U.N. Ambassor Bob Rae re statement at a meeting of General Assembly’s human rights committee expressing grave concern at human rights situation in China, and Beijing's failure so far to discuss report's findings on ongoing violations against Uyghurs and or Muslim groups.

Human rights groups have accused China of sweeping a million or more people from minority groups into detention camps where many have said y were tortured, sexually assaulted, and forced to abandon ir language and religion. camps were just one part of what rights organizations have called a ruthless campaign against extremism in Xinjiang that also included draconian birth control policies and all-encompassing restrictions on people’s movement.

assessment from Geneva-based U.N. human rights office was released in final minutes of High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet’s four-year term on Aug. 31. It largely corroborated earlier reporting by researchers, vocacy groups and news media.

report concluded that China has committed serious human rights violations under its anti-terrorism and anti-extremism policies and called for “urgent attention” from U.N., world community and China itself to dress m.

statement from 50 countries calls report “an independent, authoritative assessment that relies extensively on China’s own records” and “makes an important contribution to existing evidence of serious and systematic human rights violations in China.”

In light of “ gravity” of report’s assessment, countries expressed concern “that China has so far refused to discuss its findings” and urged government “to fully implement recommendations.”

In dition to calling for fulfillment of recommendation to release of all those arbitrarily detained 50 countries urged China to clarify “ fate and whereabouts of missing family members” and arrange safe contacts and reunions.

In response to statement, Uyghur Human Rights Project tweeted that “A growing number of UN member states are pushing back on China’s treatment of Uyghurs.”

Britain’s Foreign Minister James Cleverly tweeted that statement “supported by a record 50 countries across 6 continents, demonstrates growing breth of international concern.”

50 countries that signed on to statement were: Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Cana, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Nerlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States.

Last week, U.S., UK and ors organized a meeting following up on former high commissioner’s report that included U.N. ambassors, Uyghur human rights vocates, U.N. special investigator on minority rights and Human Rights Watch.

China’s U.N. Mission sent a letter to all U.N. member states expressing its “resolute opposition” to meeting and strongly recommending that y boycott “this anti-China event.”

“It is a politically motivated event,” said letter, obtained by Associated Press. “ co-sponsors use human rights issues as a political tool to interfere in China’s internal affairs like Xinjiang, to create division and turbulence and disrupt China’s development.”

Calling event “disinformation propaganda,” letter accused sponsors of violating “ purposes and principles of U.N. Charter and norms of international relations.”