GENEVA (AP) 鈥 The new U.N. human rights chief said Tuesday that his office has opened 鈥渃hannels of communication鈥 to help follow up on concerns about the rights of minorities in China, including Uyghur Muslims and Tibetans. But this fell short of activists' hopes for a stronger message to Beijing.
High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker T眉rk, in an address highly anticipated by rights advocates, didn't detail how his office plans to follow up on a published in August by his predecessor, Michelle Bachelet. That report cited possible 鈥渃rimes against humanity鈥 against Uyghurs and others in Xinjiang.
T眉rk noted that the U.N. rights office 鈥渄ocumented grave concerns" like arbitrary detentions and family separations in China, and called for "concrete follow-up.鈥 He also voiced concerns about the impact of the national security law in Hong Kong that has suppressed its pro-democracy movement.
鈥淩egarding China, we have opened up channels of communication with a range of actors to follow up on a variety of human rights issues, including the protection of minorities, such as for Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other groups,鈥 T眉rk told the Human Rights Council's latest session.
It was his first presentation of the office's annual report since he took office in October. It covered an array of concerns like pressure on women鈥檚 rights, discrimination, conflict and climate change, in a sweeping number of countries 鈥 from Afghanistan to Zambia.
The rights chief highlighted Russia's war in Ukraine, the continued fighting in Syria and instability in Mali and Burkina Faso. He also expressed concerns about crackdowns on dissent, free expression and political activists in parts of Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
T眉rk further cited reports of 鈥渆xcessive use of force, racial profiling and discriminatory practices by police 鈥 most recently in Australia, France, Ireland and the United Kingdom."
He said he was 鈥渄eeply concerned by multiple trends鈥 in Russia like the closure of the offices of independent media and activist groups, and 鈥渃onstant鈥 pro-war messages on state media that 鈥渇eed stereotypes and incite hatred and violence.鈥
Advocacy groups had been particularly listening for T眉rk's take on the rights situation in China.
Agnes Callamard, the secretary-general of Amnesty International, said last month that T眉rk should 鈥減ublicly put his weight鈥 behind Bachelet's report and include in the council session 鈥渁 significant brief on Xinjiang that reflects the gravity of the findings鈥 of the U.N. rights office.
鈥淚t will be an important message in many ways,鈥 she told the ACANU press association. "I think the high commissioner will be very much judged by his willingness and his courage to stand up to China and other superpowers.鈥
The former head of Human Rights Watch, Ken Roth, said that T眉rk had 鈥渕outhed not a word of criticism of China."
鈥淗e offers only quiet diplomacy 鈥 鈥榳e have opened up channels of communication鈥 鈥 as if he has any leverage besides the public reporting/condemnation that he abandons,鈥 Roth tweeted.
