Mar 05, 2013

Report Details Persecution of UNPO Members in China


Photo by Izahorsky

 

UNPO’s most recent UPR submission sheds light on the ongoing persecution of UNPO Members -East Turkestan, Tibet and Inner Mongolia- in China. 

 

 UNPO has recently submitted a report on the occasion of the 17th Session of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR), due to take place in Geneva, in October 2013. The report highlights the endemic failure of leadership by the Chinese government to protect human rights in the country, as minorities, liberal intellectuals, religious groups and political activists continue to be threatened and persecuted on daily basis. Despite the vaunted economic dynamism and small political reforms since the country last came under revision by the UPR, in early 2009, the PRC still shows no substantive progress in addressing long-standing human rights concerns. 

The UNPO also highlights a series of recommendations, which are to be presented to the Chinese government at the 17th Session of the UPR procedures. Amongst them, UNPO urges the PRC to consider the following:

- Take the necessary measures, consistent with national legislation, to ratify the ICCPR;

- Strengthen the protection of ethnic minorities, in regards to their civil, religious and socio-economic rights;

- Take the necessary steps to guarantee that economic and social development is translated into political, economic and social improvement for minorities;

- Continue its efforts to discourage employment discrimination practices against members of minority groups, including Uyghurs, Tibetans and Inner Mongolians;

- Ensure that the definition of torture under Chinese Criminal Law and other relevant laws and regulations is in compliance with Article 1 of the CAT;

- Adhere to the OP-CAT;

- Highlight the measures taken to ensure that all instances of torture are promptly investigated by an independent body and that perpetrators are brought to justice;

- Accelerate its efforts aimed at abolishing administrative detention, including the Reeducation Through Labor System.

  

During the months of October and November, 2013, the UNPO UPR submission will be examined at the 17th Session of the United Nations Universal Periodic Review, second cycle.

Furthermore, UNPO will also be collaborating with the World Uyghur Congress and the Society for Threatened Peoples in hosting a conference entitled “China’s New Leadership: Challenges for Human Rights, Democracy and Freedom in East Turkestan, Tibet and Southern Mongolia”. The conference, which will be held in Geneva, 11-13 March, 2013, will further discuss China’s new leadership and its effect on the aforementioned communities. For more information, please refer to this page. Registration is required.

 

You can access the full report by clicking on the link to it under "Attached Documents" in the right column.