It has been two years since the United Nations Human Rights Council published a report charging the People’s Republic of China with serious human rights violations that “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity,” for its mass detention of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim groups.
When the PRC came up for its periodic review by the Human Rights Council in January, the United States recommended several key measures to improve human rights conditions in China. Among them were the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong; the end to harassment, surveillance and threats against individuals abroad and in China, including in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong; and the end to discrimination against individuals’ culture, language, religion or beliefs.
On July 4, during the dialogue at the Human Rights Council for the adoption of the periodic review report on China, U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council Ambassador Michèle Taylor said, “[T]he PRC has refused to take action amid consistent calls from the international community to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and has rejected numerous constructive recommendations made through the UPR [Universal Periodic Review].”
“The United States condemns the human rights abuses in Tibet, Inner Mongolia, and across China; ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang; and the erosion of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong,” said Ambassador Taylor. “China’s abuses constitute a rejection of U.N. assessments and recommendations and violate or undermine international commitments and legal obligations.”
In a statement on July 12, the United States announced additional measures to promote accountability in defense of human rights in China. Spokesperson Matthew Miller said the State Department will impose visa restrictions on PRC officials “for their involvement in repression of marginalized religious and ethnic communities.”
“The PRC has not lived up to its commitments to respect and protect human rights, as demonstrated by the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, the erosion of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong, persistent human rights abuses in Tibet, and transnational repression around the world,” Spokesperson Miller declared. “We call on the PRC to abide by the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to accept the many recommendations made this year during the Universal Periodic Review of its human rights record, including unconditionally releasing PRC nationals it has arbitrarily and unjustly detained.”
