Status: 09/12/2022 04:57 am
Russian war of aggression, suppression of the Uyghurs in China: When the UN Human Rights Council meets for a new session in Geneva, it has a lot on the agenda.
The explosive report on China comes from the UN Human Rights Office. It operates independently of the Human Rights Council. Nevertheless, it is considered certain that the serious allegations against China will be discussed in the Council. Among other things, it is about torture and mistreatment of detainees in the Chinese region of Xinjiang.
“The report is very carefully researched. The report documents very clearly that China has committed blatant human rights violations. These human rights violations are so serious that they can constitute crimes against humanity. And of course this report in the Human Rights Council will be a very important one play a role,” said the German Ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Dr. Catherine Stasch, dem ARD– Studio in Geneva. She is Deputy Chair of the Human Rights Council.
“Clear words”
The previous UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet presented the China report at the end of August just a few minutes before the end of her term of office. Bachelet is no longer responsible. She can no longer defend the report against China’s massive resistance. Her successor, the Austrian Volker Türk, who was elected to office a few days ago, must take over.
Ambassador Katharina Stasch: “We expect that the new High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, will present the report to the Human Rights Council. And that the new High Commissioner will also name the human rights violations in China in very clear terms.”
China and Russia are pulling the strings
It is far from clear that the Human Rights Council will condemn China in a resolution. It is even considered rather unlikely that the necessary majority of Council members would come about. Numerous states are reluctant to take sides against Beijing. They fear disadvantages. China is powerful – has secured influence through its massive investments in Africa or Latin America. And the struggle for spheres of influence continues in the Human Rights Council. China and also Russia confidently pull the strings in the background. Beijing and Moscow indignantly reject any allegation of human rights violations. Whether it’s the torture of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang or the massacre of civilians in Bucha, Ukraine.
German Ambassador Katharina Stasch announces resistance: “It is very clear that Russia, very much like China, is trying with its narrative to get other countries on its side. We are clearly opposed to that. One thing is clear: an alternative We will not accept facts. This is about human rights violations and human rights are indivisible.”
How difficult it is for Germany and the EU to find majorities in the Human Rights Council for their basic values was shown in June. The Netherlands gathered behind it 46 countries that expressed concern about the human rights situation in China. However, Cuba brought significantly more states behind it for a pro-Chinese declaration. For the message: no double standards, no interference in internal affairs! It was a points win for Beijing.