Tibet: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Draws Attention to Cultural and Religious Discrimination
Photo courtesy of UN Geneva @Flickr
On the occasion of the 34th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein addressed Beijing’s continued discrimination against citizens in Tibet on cultural and religious grounds. He stressed the importance of ensuring human rights in Tibet and condemned China’s unlawful imprisonment of human rights activists. Human rights issues will remain an important topic in subsequent dialogues with China.
The article below was published by the Tibet Post International:
During the current 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, expressed concern over "restrictions on cultural and religious rights" in Tibet, and committed to pursue an “effective dialogue on important human rights issues.”
The session, which opened on February 27th of this year, was graced on March 8th with an hour-long presentation of the annual report from the High Commissioner, where he reported on the activities of his office and recent human rights developments.
Among the concerns was China, as he said, “China’s stated commitment to the rule of law is welcome, especially when it is consistent with international human rights standards. This should include the respect for human rights defenders.
“I deplore the detention and intimidation of lawyers and activists who seek the good of their communities and country.
“I am also disturbed by cases of restrictions on cultural and religious rights, particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet. I will continue to reach out to China for an effective dialogue on important human rights issues.”
