{"id":852,"date":"2020-12-16T21:28:04","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T21:28:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saveuighur.org\/?p=852"},"modified":"2020-12-16T21:28:04","modified_gmt":"2020-12-16T21:28:04","slug":"ohchr-un-experts-call-for-decisive-measures-to-protect-fundamental-freedoms-in-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saveuighur.org\/ug\/ohchr-un-experts-call-for-decisive-measures-to-protect-fundamental-freedoms-in-china\/","title":{"rendered":"OHCHR: UN experts call for decisive measures to protect fundamental freedoms in China"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following is taken from a release by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner on December 16, 2020. Read the full release here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

“GENEVA (26 June 2020) \u2013 UN independent experts have repeatedly communicated with the Government of the People\u2019s Republic of China their alarm regarding the repression of fundamental freedoms in China. They have denounced the repression of protest<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0democracy advocacy<\/a>\u00a0in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), impunity for excessive use of force by police, the\u00a0alleged use of chemical agents<\/a>\u00a0against protesters, the alleged sexual harassment and assault of women protesters in police stations and the\u00a0alleged harassment of health care workers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“They have also raised their concerns regarding a range of issues of grave concern, from the collective repression of the population, especially religious and ethnic minorities, in Xinjiang<\/a>\u00a0and Tibet, to the detention of\u00a0lawyers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0prosecution<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0disappearances<\/a>\u00a0of human rights defenders across the country, allegations of forced labour in various sectors of the formal and the informal economy, as well as arbitrary interferences with the right to privacy, to\u00a0cybersecurity laws<\/a>\u00a0that authorise censorship and the broadly worrying\u00a0anti-terrorism and sedition laws<\/a>\u00a0applicable in Hong Kong. They have expressed concerns that journalists, medical workers and those exercising their right to free speech online in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak and pandemic have allegedly faced retaliation from the authorities, including many being charged with \u2018spreading misinformation\u2019 or \u2018disrupting public order\u2019.<\/p>\n

“Most recently, the National People\u2019s Congress took a decision to draft a national security law for the Hong Kong SAR \u2013 without any meaningful consultation with the people of Hong Kong \u2013 which would, if adopted, violate China\u2019s international legal obligations and impose severe restrictions on civil and political rights in the autonomous region. The national security law would introduce poorly defined crimes that would easily be subject to abuse and repression, including at the hands of China\u2019s national security organs, which for the first time would be enabled to establish \u2018agencies\u2019 in Hong Kong \u2018when needed\u2019.<\/p>\n

“The draft law would deprive the people of Hong Kong, who constitute a minority with their own distinctive history, cultural and linguistic and even legal traditions, the autonomy and fundamental rights guaranteed them under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and the \u2018One Country, Two Systems\u2019 governance framework. It would undermine the right to a fair trial and presage a sharp rise in arbitrary detention and prosecution of peaceful human rights defenders at the behest of Chinese authorities. The national security law would also undermine the ability of businesses operating in Hong Kong to discharge their responsibility to respect human rights in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.<\/p>\n

“The independent experts urge the Government of China to abide by its international legal obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and withdraw the draft national security law for Hong Kong.<\/p>\n

“The UN independent experts believe it is time for renewed attention on the human rights situation in the country, particularly in light of the moves against the people of the Hong Kong SAR, minorities of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, the Tibet Autonomous Region, and human rights defenders across the country.<\/p>\n

“The independent experts acknowledge that the Government of China has responded to the communications of UN independent experts, if almost always to reject criticism.<\/p>\n

“However, unlike over 120 States, the Government of China has not issued a standing invitation to UN independent experts to conduct official visits. In the last decade, despite many requests by Special Procedures, the Government has permitted only five visits by independent experts (pertaining to rights involving food, discrimination against women and girls, foreign debt, extreme poverty and older persons).<\/p>\n

“Keeping in mind China\u2019s obligations under international human rights law, and the obligation to adhere to the ICCPR with respect to the Hong Kong SAR, and in view of the UN Human Rights Council\u2019s prevention mandate to act on the root causes of crises which may lead to human rights emergencies or undermine peace and security, the UN experts call on the international community to act collectively and decisively to ensure China respects human rights and abides by its international obligations.<\/p>\n

“The independent experts urge the Government of China to invite mandate-holders, including those with a mandate to monitor civil and political rights, to conduct independent missions and to permit those visits to take place in an environment of confidentiality, respect for human rights defenders, and full avoidance of reprisals against those with whom mandate-holders may meet.<\/p>\n

“They further urge the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) to act with a sense of urgency to take all appropriate measures to monitor Chinese human rights practices. Measures available to the Council and Member States include but need not be limited to the possibility of:<\/p>\n