DHARAMSHALA: Leading international rights group, the Human Rights Watch, has strongly criticised China for refusing to accept the recommendations to ease human rights situation during the 17th session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) last year.

“In light of the March 14 death in Beijing of Cao Shunli, an activist who had tried to participate in China’s Universal Periodic Review, Human Rights Watch expresses its grave concern about China’s deeply misleading comments regarding freedom of expression, participation in the UPR process, the rights of civil society and lawyers, and respect for the rights of ethnic minorities,” Human Rights Watch said in statement on 20 March.

“If, as China claims in its Outcome Report, “No one suffers reprisal for taking part in lawful activities or international mechanisms,” why was human rights activist Cao Shunli detained at the Beijing airport in September 2013 en route to Geneva, and her whereabouts unknown until she was formally charged in October with vague and unsubstantiated charge of “picking quarrels and provoking troubles”? The Council should be informed that Cao, after being denied access to adequate medical care for three months in a Beijing prison, was transferred in February 2014 to intensive care in a Beijing hospital, where she died last week,” it added.

“Many of the rejected recommendations speak to some of the most pressing human rights abuses inside the country today: use of the death penalty, maintenance of other systems of arbitrary detention, restrictions on the freedom of expression, and lack of full cooperation—by the government and for ordinary people—with international human rights mechanisms.  We note that in abolishing reeducation through labor the Chinese government noted its unconstitutional nature, and hope that similar logic will be employed in dismantling the Custody and Education system as well as other illegal forms of arbitrary detention,” it said.

The rights group added that China’s rejection of the recommendations “challenges not only the integrity of the UPR process and China’s participation therein, but also demonstrates that China does not “uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.”

Eleven countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany and France raised concerns and proposed recommendations on the Tibet issue during last year’s Universal Periodic Review of China’s human rights record. The recommendations call for the resumption of unconditional dialogue with His Holiness the Dalai Lama or his representatives, facilitate greater and unhindered access to all minority areas including Tibet visit of Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Procedures, and end prosecution and persecution of people for the practice of their religion or belief, including Tibetans.

China has rejected all the recommendations except one, that is to facilitate the visits of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Rapporteur to Tibet.

Kai Müller, Executive Director of the International Campaign for Tibet- Germany also raised concerns on China’s rejection of the UPR recommendations. He said, “China countered this recommendation with its usual rhetoric, insisting that the Dalai Lama is still seeking Tibetan independence, when it is consistently reiterated by the international community that he is instead calling for a genuine autonomy and that the rights of Tibetans be protected in accordance with China’s constitution and laws.”

Müller further called on the member states to hold China accountable and press the Chinese leadership that the proposed visits happen. Müller also noted that the High Commissioner must be able to engage with Tibetan and Chinese representatives to gain clear insights into human rights conditions in Tibet.