UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet accuses China of restricting civil rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong

Activists and UN experts have said that at least one million Muslim Uygurs are detained in camps in the western region of Xinjiang

China denies abuses and says its camps provide vocational training and are needed to fight extremism

Reading Time:3 minutes

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet says China is restricting civil and political freedoms. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:33am, 27 Feb 2021Updated: 10:15pm, 27 Feb 2021

United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Friday that China was restricting basic civil and political freedoms – including in Hong Kong – in the name of national security and coronavirus measures, adding to a wave of criticism of the country’s rights record.

“In China, strong progress has been made over the last year in reducing the prevalence of Covid-19 and its severe impact on the enjoyment of a broad range of human rights,” Bachelet told the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

“At the same time, fundamental rights and civic freedoms continue to be curtailed in the name of national security and the Covid-19 response. Activists, lawyers and human rights defenders – as well as some foreign nationals – face arbitrary criminal charges, detention or unfair trials.”

She said hundreds of people in Hong Kong were being investigated for taking part in protests, some under the new national security law imposed by Beijing on the former British colony.

Hong Kong Justice Secretary Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah hit back, saying that since the law was adopted, civil unrest had subsided.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x