Business

UN human rights chief ‘determined’ to engage China on Uighurs report

0

Geneva — UN human rights chief Volker Turk said on Friday he was determined to engage with Beijing over the findings of a report issued by his predecessor that said China’s treatment of Uighurs and other Muslims in its Xinjiang region may constitute crimes against humanity.

Grappling with the human rights record of powerful ‘P5’ Security Council member China is one of the thorniest issues facing the new high commissioner since he started in October.

Beijing pressured Turk’s predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, not to publish the report, Reuters revealed, and she only did so within a few minutes of the end of her term.

“The report that was issued on August 31 is a very important one and has highlighted very serious human rights concerns,” Turk told reporters at a Geneva briefing in his first public comments on the matter since taking office.

“I will personally continue engaging with the authorities. I’m very determined to do so,” he said, adding that “hope springs eternal.”

China, which denies the Xinjiang allegations, has previously indicated that it would close the door to co-operation with the UN human rights office after the report’s release.

A Western-led effort to launch a debate on the Xinjiang report at the Human Rights Council failed in October amid heavy lobbying against it from China.

Reuters

Source

Eskom grants Joburg ‘some reprieve’ from load shedding

Previous article

Capital Markets Development Trust Fund (CMDTF): Call for proposals for the 2023 Work Program

Next article

You may also like

Comments

Comments are closed.

More in Business