A series of harsh convictions and new detentions, coming on the heels of high-level EU visits, demonstrate that despite its rhetoric, rule of law and universal rights remain anathema to the Chinese Communist Party. The international community needs to back words with action to prevent further violations.
In February 2023, the CESCR conducted its third periodic review of China, Hong Kong and Macau. ISHR has developed an explainer on the Concluding Observations of the review, summarizing the key recommendations and how civil society can use them to assist documentation and advance change.
On 17 April 2023, ISHR submitted its annual submission to the report to the UN Secretary General on reprisals and intimidation against defenders engaging or seeking to engage with the UN and its human rights mechanisms.
Ahead of China, Hong Kong and Macao's review by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in May 2023, ISHR has prepared an explainer summarising the Committee's work to oversee the implementation of women’s rights, and opportunities for civil society engagement in its review process. Civil society plays a vital role in informing the Committee's assessment, and pointing to key areas of concern.
Following an intense dialogue with the Chinese government and consideration of a broad range of civil society contributions last month, UN experts from the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) released a laundry list of worries about protection of rights in the country.
In this briefing paper, ISHR looks at the powerful role of China over the UN human rights treaty bodies (UNTBs), identifying the ways in which China deploys influence, from an official discourse that consistently focuses on restricting their scope of work to direct threats to independent NGOs who wish to engage with the UN experts.
ISHR sheds light on the attempts by Chinese diplomats to exert undue influence over the UN expert bodies that oversee compliance with major international human rights treaties and covenants, and makes recommendations for how stakeholders can strengthen the system’s ability to fight back.
A joint statement released today, signed by 49 human rights groups from around the world, calls on China to immediately respect fundamental freedoms and cease targeting peaceful protesters.
In landmark ruling, the UN’s committee on racial discrimination has strongly condemned China’s persecution of Uyghurs, and decided, for the first time ever, to refer the situation to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect. Reiterating the most serious concerns expressed by the UN’s Human Rights Office and UN independent experts, the committee reminded governments of their obligation to put an end to the most serious human rights violations wherever they occur, in particular racial discrimination.
A group of States at the United Nations Human Rights Council betrayed principles of human rights, non-discrimination and accountability today in opposing a historic resolution in response to a UN report finding possible crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese government against Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples.
