Geneva — At the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, 27 UN member states, including the United States, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Lithuania and the European Union, expressed their concern at the serious human rights violations and systematic repression in Tibet by the Chinese government.
During the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council, currently taking place in Geneva, UN Member States have expressed their concerns about China's systematic repression in Tibet and East Turkestan. The EU also calls on China to unconditionally release Gosherab Gyatso, Dorjee Tashi, Rinchen Tsultrim and other Uighur, Chinese and Mongolian human rights defenders who are imprisoned by the Chinese authorities.
The United States, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Lithuania and the European Union, on behalf of 27 Member States, expressed their concern about the situation in Tibet, while drawing attention to China's human rights violations.
“The EU joins the call by UN experts reporting to the Human Rights Council to closely monitor, report, and assess the human rights situation in China. The latest documentations confirm the seriousness of the human rights situation in China, especially in Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia. The EU urges China to abide by its obligations under national and international law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, including Uighurs and persons belonging to ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities across China, especially in Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia,” the statement of EU said.
The EU also calls on China to unconditionally release Gosherab Gyatso, Dorjee Tashi, Rinchen Tsultrim and said, “The EU continues to closely monitor the situation and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of, among others, Pastor Cao Sanqiang, Chang Weiping, Chen Jianfang, Chen Yunfei, Cheng Yuan, Ding Jiaxi, Dorjee Tashi, Fang Bin, Gao Zhisheng, Guo Quan, Guo Feixiong, Go Sherab Gyatso, Huang Qi, Huang Xueqin, Li Qiaochu, Li Yuhan, Qin Yongmin, Qin Yongpei, Rinchen Tsultrim, Tang Jitian, Tiyip Tashpolat, Sakharov Prize laureate Ilham Tohti, Wang Bingzhang, Wang Jianbing, Pastor Wang Yi, Wang Li, Wang Zang, Wu Gan, Xu Qin, Xu Na, Xu Zhiyong, Yang Maodong, Pastor Zhang Chunlei and Zhang Zhan as well as the EU citizen Gui Minhai whose right to consular access must be respected.”
The US delegate expressed concern about China's serious human rights violations in China and other regions. With regard to Tibet, the US remains concerned about "the severe repression of Tibetans and their distinct religious, linguistic and cultural identity" in Tibet.
Speaking on behalf of the 27 Member States, the Czech Republic said that the latest documents confirm the seriousness of the human rights situation in China, including in Tibet.
Denmark expressed deep concern about human rights violations in China, including in Tibet. Germany and Lithuania expressed similar concern about the worrying situation in China, including in Tibet.
Furthermore, Sweden remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation in China, including in Tibet. Sweden urged China to "respect international law, including human rights, in particular the right to freedom of expression and the rights of persons belonging to minorities."
Delegates from Japan, Iceland, Finland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, as well as others, continued to express their concern about China's human rights violations.
Source: Tibet Bureau in Geneva
