United Nations Responses to the Uyghur Crisis

The UHRP United Nations Tracker compiles information from the United Nations and its various agencies, experts, committees, and other bodies in relation to human rights issues affecting Uyghurs in the Uyghur region of China, as well as joint statements by UN member states in New York and Geneva.

UN Treaty Bodies

The UN Treaty Bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor implementation of the core international human rights treaties. The following list includes recommendations made by UN Treaty Bodies relevant to Uyghurs, following periodic reviews.

May 31, 2023: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Concluding Observations on China's ninth periodic report (see UHRP's submission for consideration by the Committee, and watch the review).

Relevant recommendations

March 3, 2023: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) Concluding Observations on China's third periodic report (see UHRP's submission for consideration by the Committee, and watch the review).

Relevant recommendations

Bring to an end the violations of human rights in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. The Committee also urges the State party, in line with decision 1 adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination at its 108th session, under the early warning and urgent action procedure, to effectively implement the concluding observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Committee against Torture, as well as the recommendations included in paragraph 151 of the OHCHR assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
Ensure that labour inspection mechanisms and independent audit companies have sufficient legal grounds and adequate resources to investigate allegations of violations of the labour law and to take effective action against those employers and enterprises found to be in breach of the law, including in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
Take adequate measures to protect cultural diversity and the cultural practices and heritage of religious minorities, including the religious practices of Tibetans, Uighurs, Kazakhs, Hui and Mongols, including by protecting and restoring religious sites.

September 9, 2022: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) Concluding Observations on China's combined fourteenth to seventeenth periodic reports.

Relevant recommendations

September 19, 2018: Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Concluding Observations on China's combined second and third periodic reports.

Relevant recommendations

December 3, 2015: Committee Against Torture (CAT) Concluding Observations on China's fifth periodic report (see UHRP's submission for consideration by the Committee).

Relevant recommendations

Take all necessary measures to ensure the full and unrestricted enjoyment by minorities, including Tibetans, Uighurs and Inner Mongolians, of their right to enjoy fully their own cultural identity and take part in cultural life, and to ensure the use and practice of their language and culture. The Committee also recommends that the State party take adequate measures to protect cultural diversity and promote awareness of the cultural heritage of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities.

May 8, 2014: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) Concluding Observations on China's second periodic report.

Relevant recommendations

Take all necessary measures to ensure the full and unrestricted enjoyment by minorities, including Tibetans, Uighurs and Inner Mongolians, of their right to enjoy fully their own cultural identity and take part in cultural life, and to ensure the use and practice of their language and culture. The Committee also recommends that the State party take adequate measures to protect cultural diversity and promote awareness of the cultural heritage of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities.

November 7, 2014: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Concluding Observations on China's combined seventh and eighth periodic reports.

Relevant recommendations

Ensure access to education by ethnic and religious minority women and girls by increasing the financial and other resources afforded to them, in particular to Tibetans, Uighurs and the so-called girls left behind, and by increasing the provision of necessary services including mother tongue education targeting non-Chinese-speaking students.
Consider using temporary special measures, in accordance with article 4 (1) of the Convention and the Committee’s general recommendation No. 25, as a necessary strategy to accelerate the achievement of the substantive equality of women and men, in particular to enhance the rights of ethnic and religious minority women and women with disabilities, with regard to all aspects of the Convention.
Ensure the implementation of the National Human Rights Action Plan (2012-2015) through the adoption of specific measures to promote and facilitate the participation of ethnic and religious minority women.
Vigorously pursue efforts aimed at eliminating the multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination experienced by ethnic and religious minority women and women with disabilities, which affect their access to health, education, employment and participation in public life and the enjoyment of their cultural identity and practices.

September 15, 2009: Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) Concluding Observations on China's tenth to thirteenth periodic reports.

Relevant recommendations

Ensure that those detained in connection with [July 5, 2009] are guaranteed humane treatment while in custody and fair trial standards according to international law, including access to a lawyer of their choice, presumption of innocence, and handing down proportionate sentences on those found guilty. The Committee further recommends that the State party carefully consider the root causes of such events, including inter-ethnic violence, and the reasons why the situation escalated.

UN Experts and Working Groups

The UN special procedures mandate holders (Special Rapporteurs, Independent Experts or Working Groups) are experts or groups of experts who examine, advise and publicly report on human rights issues and situations.

September 20, 2023: UN experts focusing on minority issues, cultural rights, and education issued a Joint Allegation Letter to China regarding regarding widespread separation of children from their parents affecting Uyghurs. The experts expressed "deep concern about what is reported as a policy of forced assimilation of the Uyghur minority, through a high number of centralized boarding institutions particularly targeting the Uyghur minority children, which appears to be in breach of a number of international human rights standards."

December 19, 2022: 15 UN mandate holders issued a Joint Allegation Letter following up on eight Special Procedures communications to the Chinese Government since 2017 about human rights about alleged widespread and grave violations of the rights of Uyghurs. The letter provides benchmarks to "facilitate substantive reform" of China's international law obligations in the Uyghur region.

April 28, 2021: Eight UN mandate holders issued a Joint Allegation Letter regarding the arbitrary detention of seventeen human rights defenders sentenced or under investigation or trial for the alleged commission of crimes against the State, that carry prison sentences of 10 years or more, including Ilham Tohti.

March–April 2021: Seven UN mandate holders issued a Joint Allegation letter to China as well as 156 Chinese and international companies, and their governments, regarding forced labour, arbitrary detention, and trafficking in persons in the Uyghur region and elsewhere in China, as well as the related lack of accountability and access to effective remedy for victims.

February 10, 2021: Ten UN mandate holders issued a Joint Allegation Letter regarding the arbitrary detention and ill-treatment, including gender-based violence against Gulbakhar Jalilova, a Uyghur businesswoman.

November 1, 2019: 12 UN mandate holders issued a Joint Other Letter on the effect and application of China's Counter-Terrorism Law and its Regional Implementing Measures, recommending that the law be reviewed in order to bring them in line with international human rights standards as previously requested.

October 2, 2019: Three UN mandate holders issued an Urgent Action on the case of Tashpolat Tiyip, a Uyghur researcher and scholar, who was sentenced to death with a two years reprieve, calling for any order of execution to be stayed, and this his trial and sentence are independently reviewed taking into account his right to fair trial and due process of law.

November 12, 2018: Six UN mandate holders issued a Joint Other Letter regarding the revision of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region "Regulation on De-extremification," and expressed concerns that the Regulation is incompatible with China’s obligations under international human rights law, and called on the government to repeal the Regulation.

January 12, 2018: Four UN mandate holders issued a Joint Allegation letter concerning a directive on bilingual education issued on June 28, 2017 by Hotan’s Education Department banning the teaching of the Uyghur language at all education levels.

July 4, 2012: Four UN mandate holders issued a Joint Urgent Action regarding the then-imminent deportation of Kurbanjan Mutalip from the Netherlands to China.

Special Procedures' Press Releases

September 26, 2023: China: "Xinjiang’s forced separations and language policies for Uyghur children carry risk of forced assimilation, say UN experts"

September 15, 2022: "UN expert says contemporary forms of slavery affecting minority communities, urges action to end discrimination, including against Uyghur and other minorities in China exposed to forced labour"

September 7, 2022: "Xinjiang report: China must address grave human rights violations and the world must not turn a blind eye, say UN experts"

April 1, 2022: "Saudi Arabia: UN experts say Uyghurs must not be extradited to China, urge proper risk assessment"

March 15, 2022: "UN expert calls on States to ensure accountability, transparency and access to sites of secret detention, urging China to: Immediate close the mass detention facilities in Xinjiang"

December 16, 2021: "Morocco: UN experts say extradition of Uyghur asylum seeker to China violates principle of non-refoulement"

March 29, 2021: "China: UN experts deeply concerned by alleged detention, forced labour of Uyghurs"

December 26, 2019: "China urged to disclose location of Uyghur academic Tashpolat Tiyip"

OHCHR Assessment

August 31, 2022: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) released a comprehensive assessment of the human rights situation in the Uyghur region with detailed recommendations.

Recommendations

OHCHR recommends to the Government of China that it:

OHCHR recommends to the business community that it:

(i) Takes all possible measures to meet the responsibility to respect human rights across activities and business relationships as set out the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, including through enhanced human rights due diligence, and report on this transparently; and
(ii) Strengthens human rights risk assessment by companies involved in the surveillance and security sector, including whether products and services could lead to or contribute to adverse human rights impacts, including on the rights to privacy, freedom of movement, and the respect of non-discrimination.

OHCHR recommends to the international community that it supports efforts to strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights in the XUAR region in follow-up to these recommendations. States should further refrain from returning members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim minorities to China who are at risk of refoulement and provide humanitarian assistance, including medical and psycho-social support, to victims in the States in which they are located.

Other Statements and Actions

November 24, 2022: The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure, issued a Decision (108) calling on China to investigate human rights violations, to cease reprisals against human rights defenders, provide remedy to those affected, and to review its legal framework related to counter terrorism. The Committee referred the matter to the attention of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect.

Recommendations

Calls upon the State party to immediately investigate all allegations of human rights violations in the XUAR, including those of torture, ill-treatment, sexual violence, forced labour, enforced disappearances and deaths in custody;
Calls upon the State party to immediately release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in the XUAR, whether in VETCs or other detention facilities, and to provide relatives of those detained or disappeared with detailed information about their status and well-being;
Recommends that the State party undertake a full review of its legal framework governing national security, counter terrorism and minority rights in the XUAR to ensure their full compliance with the State party’s obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination;
Urges the State party to immediately cease all intimidation and reprisals against Uyghur and other ethnic Muslim communities, the diaspora and those who speak out in their defence, both domestically and abroad;
Urges the State party to ensure that victims of human rights violations, including Uyghurs and other ethnic Muslim communities, are provided with adequate and effective remedies and reparation;
Also urges the State party to effectively implement the Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee against Torture, as well as the recommendations included in the OHCHR Assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China (para. 151);
Reminds all States of their responsibility to cooperate to bring to an end through lawful means any serious breach of human rights obligations, in particular serious violations of the peremptory norm of the prohibition of racial discrimination;
Decides to refer this matter to the attention of the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General on the Responsibility to Protect.

International Labour Organization

The ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations has raised concerns over discrimination in labor conditions in the Uyghur region in their 2021, 2022, and 2023 reports.

2023 Recommendations

The Committee, considering information from "the Government, the discussions in the Conference Committee, ITUC observations and the findings of UN bodies," reiterated its "deep concern in respect of the serious allegations of discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang, which appears to be based on policy directions expressed in numerous national and regional policy and regulatory documents," and urged the Government "once again" to:

Noting information regarding "Equality of opportunity and treatment for ethnic and religious minorities, including in the civil service," the Committee asked the Government to continue to:

provide information on the measures taken, and their results, to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for ethnic and religious minorities within China, including information on the current employment situation of various ethnic and religious minorities inside and outside the autonomous regions as well as employment data disaggregated by sex and ethnicity in the civil service.

2022 Recommendations

The Committee expressed "deep concern in respect of the policy directions expressed in numerous national and regional policy and regulatory documents" and requested the Government to:

(i) review its national and regional policies with a view to eliminating all distinction, exclusion or preference which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation;
(ii) repeal provisions in the XUAR decision that impose de-radicalization duties on enterprises and trade unions and prevent enterprises and trade unions from playing their respective roles in promoting equality of opportunity and treatment in employment and occupation without discrimination based on race, national extraction, religion or political opinion;
(iii) revise national and regional policies with a view to ensuring that the activities of vocational guidance, vocational training and placement service serve the purpose of assisting ethnic and religious minorities in the development and use of their capabilities for work in their own best interests and in accordance with their own aspirations, account being taken of the needs of society;
(iv) amend national and regional regulatory provisions with a view to re-orienting the mandate of vocational training and education centres from political re-education based on administrative detention towards the purpose set out in (iii);
(v) provide information on the measures taken to ensure observance of the policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in vocational training activities carried out in Xinjiang’s vocational training and education centres; and
(vi) provide information on the measures taken to ensure observance of the policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for the Uyghurs and other ethnic minority groups when seeking to access employment outside the Xianjing [sic] Autonomous Province.

Noting information from the government regarding "Equality of opportunity and treatment of ethnic and religious minorities, including in the civil service," the Committee requested the Government to:

continue to provide information on the measures taken, and their results, to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for ethnic and religious minorities, indicating if, and how, the social partners and the groups concerned are consulted when designing and implementing such measures; and
provide information on the current employment situation of various ethnic and religious minorities inside and outside the autonomous regions, including employment data disaggregated by sex and ethnicity in the civil service.

2021 Recommendations

UN Member States (Human Rights Council)

From 2019–2023, a group of member states at the UN Human Rights Council have released joint statements expressing concern over the situation in the Uyghur region, and calling for the Chinese government to respect human rights and implement UN recommendations.

2022 Joint Statement

Joint Statement on the Human Rights Situation in China

Item 2 – Interactive Dialogue on the High Commissioner’s Annual Report, 50^thSession of the UN Human Rights Council

Delivered by H.E. Ambassador Paul Bekkers, Permanent Representative, Kingdom of the Netherlands

June 14, 2022

Mr. President,

I have the honour of delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of 47 countries*.

Madam High Commissioner,

We continue to be gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Numerous extensively researched and credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained. Furthermore there are reports of ongoing widespread surveillance, discrimination against Uyghurs and other persons belonging to minorities as well as of severe restrictions on Uyghur culture and the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to freedom of religion or belief. We are also concerned about reports of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, forced labour, and forced separation of children from their parents by authorities.

We repeat our call on China to urgently address these concerns and implement the CERD’s eight recommendations relating to Xinjiang from August 2018, as well as the concerns raised by numerous Special Procedures since that time, including to end the arbitrary detention of Muslim Uyghurs and persons belonging to other minorities.

We also continue to be gravely concerned about the deterioration of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong and the human rights situation in Tibet.

We urge China to ensure full respect for the rule of law, to comply with obligations under national and international law with regard to the protection of human rights and to ratify the ICCPR. In addition, we urge the Chinese government to provide meaningful and unfettered access for independent observers to Xinjiang, including Special Procedures. In view of the severity of the situation in Xinjiang, we call on all countries to respect the principle of non-refoulement.

Finally, we acknowledge your recent visit to China, including Xinjiang, which provided an opportunity for dialogue with the Chinese authorities on various human rights related concerns, and your statement of 28 May. We are interested in more detailed observations, including on the restrictions the Chinese authorities imposed on the visit as well as on your access to members of civil society and to places of your choice.

Madame High Commissioner, recalling your announcement at HRC48 that your Office would release a report on human rights in Xinjiang, we look forward to its prompt release. Could you provide the Council with further information on the timeline?

Thank you.

This statement was supported by:Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America (47).

2021 Joint Statement

June 22, 2021

Madame High Commissioner, I have the honour of delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of 44 countries.

We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang and that there is widespread surveillance disproportionately targeting Uyghurs and members of other minorities and restrictions on fundamental freedoms and Uyghur culture. There are also reports of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children from their parents by authorities.

We also share the concerns expressed by UN Special Procedures in their March 29 statement on alleged detention, forced labour and transfers of Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities and in a letter published by UN experts describing collective repression of religious and ethnic minorities.

We urge China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including the High Commissioner, and to urgently implement the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s 8 recommendations related to Xinjiang, including by ending the arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and members of other Muslim minorities.

Finally, we continue to be deeply concerned about the deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong under the National Security Law and about the human rights situation in Tibet. We call on Chinese authorities to abide by their human rights obligations.

Thank you.

Signatories

2020 Joint Statement

June 30, 2020

Thank you Madam President. I am delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of 27 countries.

A number of the signatories to this statement submitted a letter last year to express concern about arbitrary detention, widespread surveillance and restrictions, particularly targeting Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang. These deep concerns have been reinforced by additional information now in the public domain. We urge China to allow the High Commissioner meaningful access to Xinjiang at the earliest opportunity.

We further wish to raise our deep and growing concerns at the imposition of legislation related to national security on Hong Kong, with clear implications for the human rights of people in Hong Kong.

The Joint Declaration, a legally binding treaty, registered with the United Nations, sets out that Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy and rights and freedoms, including those of the person, of the press, of assembly, and of association and that the ICCPR and ICESCR shall remain in force. These rights are also guaranteed in the basic law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Making such a law without the direct participation of Hong Kong’s people, legislature or judiciary of Hong Kong undermines ‘One Country, Two Systems’.

We urge the Chinese and Hong Kong Governments to reconsider the imposition of this legislation and to engage Hong Kong’s people, institutions and judiciary to prevent further erosion of the rights and freedoms that the people of Hong Kong have enjoyed for many years.

High Commissioner, we note your calls for legislation to respect human rights obligations relating to Hong Kong, and the serious concerns raised by the mechanisms of this council. We encourage you to provide regular information on the human rights situation in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms which are guaranteed under international law.

Thank you

As of 15 July, this statement was supported by Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Germany, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom

2019 Joint Letter

Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner,

We, the co-signatories to this letter, are concerned about credible reports of arbitrary detention in large-scale places of detention, as well as widespread surveillance and restrictions, particularly targeting Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang, China.

We recall China's obligations as a member of the UN Human Rights Council to "uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights and fully cooperate with the Council."

We recall the 2018 concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in its review of China, which expressed concern about disturbing reports of large-scale arbitrary detentions of Uighurs, and other Muslim and minority communities. We also share concerns expressed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and by several UN Special Procedures mandate holders in this regard.

We call on China to uphold its national laws and international obligations and to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of religion or belief, in Xinjiang and across China. We call also on China to refrain from the arbitrary detention and restrictions on freedom of movement of Uighurs, and other Muslim and minority communities in Xinjiang.

We welcome China's acceptance of a Universal Periodic Review recommendation to respond positively to a country visit request by the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief and urge China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent international observers, including for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. We further call on China to implement the related recommendations in the concluding observations of CERD. We ask the High Commissioner for Human Rights to keep the Human Rights Council regularly informed.

We request that this letter be recorded as a document of the 41st Session of the Human Rights Council and that it be published on the OHCHR website.

To the President of the Human Rights Council,

We, the undersigned, have the honour to transmit herewith a joint letter on behalf of the undersigned states. We would be highly appreciative if you could kindly circulate the present letter and the annex thereto and record them as a document of the forty-first session of the Human Rights Council, to be published on the website of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

UN Member States (Third Committee)

From 2019–2023, a group of member states at the UN Third Committee have released a joint statement expressing concern over the situation in the Uyghur region, and calling for the Chinese government to respect human rights and implement UN recommendations.

2023 Joint Statement (United Kingdom)

October 18, 2023

Thank you Mr. Chair, I have the honour of delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of the following 51 countries: Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, North Macedonia, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Marshall Islands, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United States, and my own country, the United Kingdom.

Members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang continue to suffer serious violations of their human rights by the authorities of the People’s Republic of China.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) relied extensively on China’s own records when it published its Assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

This independent and authoritative assessment found evidence of large-scale arbitrary detention and systematic use of invasive surveillance on the basis of religion and ethnicity; severe and undue restrictions to legitimate cultural and religious practices, identity and expression, including reports of destruction of religious sites; torture, ill-treatment and sexual and gender-based violence, including forced abortion and sterilisation; enforced disappearances and family separations; and forced labour.

The assessment concluded that the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim minorities on a large scale in Xinjiang “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”

Over a year has passed since that assessment was released and yet China has not engaged in any constructive discussion of these findings.

Last month, at the 54th Session of the Human Rights Council, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, called on China to follow the recommendations of the assessment and take “strong remedial action.”

So far, we have not seen evidence of China taking any such action.

We urge China to end its violations of human rights in Xinjiang, engage constructively with the OHCHR, and fully implement the recommendations of the assessment.

Thank you.

2022 Joint Statement (Canada)

October 31, 2022

I have the honor of delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of the following 50 countries: Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, and my own country Canada.

We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in the People’s Republic of China, especially the ongoing human rights violations of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

The release of the recent UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China, corroborates these concerns in an impartial and objective manner. The assessment finds that the scale of the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities in Xinjiang “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity”.

As an independent, authoritative assessment that relies extensively on China’s own records, it makes an important contribution to the existing evidence of serious and systematic human rights violations in China. This includes evidence of large-scale arbitrary detention and systematic use of invasive surveillance on the basis of religion and ethnicity; severe and undue restrictions to legitimate cultural and religious practices, identity and expression, including reports of destruction of mosques, shrines and cemeteries; torture, ill-treatment and sexual and gender-based violence, including forced abortion and sterilization; enforced disappearances and family separations; and forced labour. Such severe and systematic violations of human rights cannot be justified on the basis of counter-terrorism.

In view of the gravity of the OHCHR assessment, we are concerned that China has so far refused to discuss its findings. In that context, we urge the Government of China to uphold its international human rights obligations and to fully implement the recommendations of the OHCHR assessment. This includes taking prompt steps to release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their liberty in Xinjiang, and to urgently clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing family members and facilitate safe contact and reunion.

We believe that addressing human rights violations, engaging in meaningful dialogue, and working together as partners are foundational to creating more inclusive societies where all can fully enjoy their human rights. We encourage all to adopt this approach.

Thank you.

2021 Joint Statement (France)

October 21, 2021

I have the honor of delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of the following 43 countries: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Eswatini, Finland, Germany, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and my own country France.

We are particularly concerned about the situation in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Credible-based reports indicate the existence of a large network of “political re-education” camps where over a million people have been arbitrarily detained. We have seen an increasing number of reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations, including reports documenting torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children. There are severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and the freedoms of movement, association and expression as well as on Uyghur culture. Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uyghurs and members of other minorities.

We also share the concerns expressed by UN Special Procedures in their 29 March statement and the letter published by UN experts describing collective repression of religious and ethnic minorities.

We thus call on China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her Office, and relevant special procedure mandate holders, as well as to urgently implement CERD’s eight recommendations related to Xinjiang. We welcome the High Commissioner’s announcement to present her findings to date and encourage publication as soon as possible. In view of our concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, we call on all countries to respect the principle of non-refoulement. We also call on China to ratify without delay the ICCPR.

We urge China to ensure full respect for the rule of law and to comply with its obligations under national and international law with regard to the protection of human rights.

Thank you.

2020 Joint Statement (Germany)

October 6, 2020

Mr. President,

I have the honour of delivering this cross-regional joint statement on behalf of the following countries: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauri, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and my own country Germany.

We are gravely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the recent developments in Hong Kong.

In June, 50 UN Special Procedures mandate holders issued an exceptional letter of concern, calling on the People’s Republic of China to respect human rights. We share their grave concerns. We call on China to respect human rights, particularly the rights of persons belonging to religious and ethnic minorities, especially in Xinjiang and Tibet.

On Xinjiang, we are gravely concerned about the existence of a large network of “political re-education camps” where credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained. We have seen an increasing number of reports of gross human rights violations, including severe restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and the freedoms of movement, association, and expression as well as on Uyghur culture. Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uyghurs and other minorities and more reports are emerging of forced labour and forced birth control including sterilization.

We also share concerns expressed separately by a group of UN experts that a number of provisions in the Hong Kong National Security Law do not conform to China's international legal obligations. We have deep concerns about elements of the National Security Law that allow for certain cases to be transferred for prosecution to the Chinese mainland. We urge the relevant authorities to guarantee the rights which are protected under the ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) and the Sino-British Joint Declaration, including freedoms of speech, the press and assembly.

Mr. Chair, we call on China to allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and her Office, and relevant special procedure mandate holders; to urgently implement CERD’s eight recommendations related to Xinjiang, including by refraining from the arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and members of other minorities. In view of our concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, we call on all countries to respect the principle of non-refoulement. We also call on China to uphold autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, and to respect the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary.

Thank you.

2019 Joint Statement (United States)

Ambassador Karen Pierce
Permanent Representative
UK Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
October 29, 2019

Mr. President,

I have the honour to read this statement on Xinjiang on behalf of a group 23 countries including:

Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United States of America, and of course the United Kingdom.

We share the concerns raised by the Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in their August 2018 Concluding Observations on China regarding credible reports of mass detention; efforts to restrict cultural and religious practices; mass surveillance disproportionately targeting ethnic Uighurs; and other human rights violations and abuses in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.

We call on the Chinese government to uphold its national laws and international obligations and commitments to respect human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, in Xinjiang and across China. The Chinese government should urgently implement CERD’s eight recommendations related to Xinjiang, including by refraining from the arbitrary detention of Uighurs and members of other Muslim communities. In view of these concerns, we call on all countries to respect the principle of non-refoulement.

Furthermore, we call on the Chinese government to allow the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Special Procedures immediate unfettered, meaningful access to Xinjiang.

UHRP welcomes questions and comments at info@uhrp.org

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