CNA Staff, Oct 7, 2020 / 07:30 am
The United States joined 38 other countries Tuesday in signing a joint statement to the United Nations condemning Chinese human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, and requesting the United Nations investigate the situation.
"We call on China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her Office," said the statement, which was delivered by Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, Permanent Representative of the German Mission to the United Nations Oct. 6.
The 39 nations called for the urgent implementation of U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination's eight recommendations related to Xinjiang, "including by refraining from the arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and members of other minorities."
"In view of our concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, we call on all countries to respect the principle of non-refoulement [the non repatriation of refugees fleeing abuse]. We also call on China to uphold autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, and to respect the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary," Heusgen added.