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GENEVA — China is asking the United Nations human rights chief to bury a extremely anticipated report on human rights violations in Xinjiang, in keeping with a Chinese language letter seen by Reuters and confirmed by diplomats from three nations who obtained it.
United Nations Excessive Commissioner Michelle Bachelet has confronted extreme criticism from civil society for being too comfortable on China throughout a Might go to and has since stated she is going to chorus from searching for a second time period for private causes.
However earlier than she leaves on the finish of August, she has pledged to publish a report on the western Chinese language area of Xinjiang. Rights teams accuse Beijing of abuses in opposition to Xinjiang’s Uyghur inhabitants, together with the mass use of pressured labor in internment camps. China has vigorously denied the allegations.
The letter authored by China expressed “grave concern” concerning the Xinjiang report and goals to halt its launch, stated 4 sources — the three diplomats and a rights professional who all spoke on situation of anonymity. They stated China started circulating it amongst diplomatic missions in Geneva beginning in late June and requested nations to signal it to indicate their assist.
“The evaluation (on Xinjiang), if revealed, will intensify politicization and bloc confrontation within the space of human rights, undermine the credibility of the OHCHR (Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights), and hurt the cooperation between OHCHR and member states,” the letter stated, referring to Bachelet’s workplace.
“We strongly urge Madame Excessive Commissioner to not publish such an evaluation.”
Liu Yuyin, a spokesperson for China’s diplomatic mission in Geneva, didn’t say whether or not the letter had been despatched or reply to questions on its contents.
Liu stated that just about 100 nations had not too long ago expressed their assist to China on Xinjiang-related points “and their objection to interference in China’s inner affairs beneath the pretext of human rights.”
This assist was voiced by way of public statements on the final U.N. Human Rights Council session, which ended on July 8, and thru the “joint letter,” Liu added, utilizing a time period denoting China and the opposite signatories.
A Chinese language international ministry spokesperson informed Reuters that Bachelet would have witnessed a “actual Xinjiang with a protected and steady society” when she visited the area throughout her Might journey to China.
The spokesperson stated makes an attempt by some nations to “smear China’s picture” utilizing the Xinjiang subject wouldn’t succeed.
It was not clear whether or not Bachelet had obtained the letter, and an OHCHR spokesperson declined to touch upon the matter.
The Xinjiang report is being finalized previous to public launch, he added, saying this consists of the usual observe of sharing a replica with China for its feedback.
The report is about to handle China’s remedy of its Uyghur minority. A group of rights specialists started gathering proof for it greater than three years in the past, however its launch has been delayed for months for unclear causes.
Reuters was not capable of set up what number of signatures the letter obtained. One of many 4 sources, a Geneva-based diplomat, replied to the letter positively giving his nation’s assist.
China, like different nations, generally seeks to drum up assist for its political statements throughout the Geneva-based rights council by way of diplomatic memos that others are requested to assist.
These can generally affect selections on the 47-member Council, whose actions should not legally binding however which might authorize investigations into suspected violations.
Two of the Geneva diplomats stated China’s letter represents a uncommon instance of proof of Beijing searching for to foyer Bachelet immediately. Typically, they are saying, nations discover it laborious to say no to China on human rights points, given shut financial ties.
The memo comes at a important juncture for the U.N. rights physique in the previous few weeks of Bachelet’s time period, with no successor but nominated. Bachelet, 70, is because of go away workplace on Aug. 31.
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