“In a report, the United Nations’ human rights office accused #China of actions that “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity,” in its mass detention of #Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim groups in #Xinjiang.”nytimes.com/2022/08/31/wor…
The assessment was released shortly before midnight in Geneva and minutes before Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, was set to leave office.
“It is an unprecedented challenge to Beijing’s lies and horrific treatment of Uyghurs,” said @SophieHRW.
“The high commissioner’s damning findings explain why the Chinese government fought tooth and nail to prevent the publication of her Xinjiang report, which lays bare China’s sweeping rights abuses.”
“The United Nations Human Rights Council should use the report to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the Chinese government’s crimes against humanity targeting the Uyghurs and others — and hold those responsible to account.”
As the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Ms. Bachelet had spoken out frequently and often frankly on abuses and concerns across all continents, including on China’s crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong.
But when it came to China’s treatment of dissidents and the allegations of crimes in Xinjiang, she had spoken with extreme caution.
Criticism against Ms. Bachelet intensified after she visited China in May and made a short trip to Xinjiang but offered little disapproval then of the crackdown in the region, ...
... instead saying the chief outcome of her trip was to foster high-level discussion with the Chinese authorities.
Though the report’s publication on Wednesday may spare Ms. Bachelet from charges by activists that she was derelict in her duty if she did not release the report, it will not end the controversy over her dealings with Beijing.
N. investigators had a report on Xinjiang on Ms. Bachelet’s desk nearly a year ago, but she was accused of repeatedly deferring publication.
At a recent news conference, she acknowledged that she had given priority to reaching agreement with Beijing on the terms of her visit to China.
“By releasing this crucial report with just minutes left on her mandate, she has only done the bare minimum. We must now push for her office, her successor and states to ensure survivors get answers and perpetrators face accountability,” said @sarahmcneer.
Full UN report: ohchr.org/sites/default/…
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