UN accused of colluding with China to delay Xinjiang human rights report until after Beijing Winter Olympics

Leaked documents show China’s negotiating position over an inspection of Xinjiang has not changed for years, amid criticism of a ‘mutually convenient stalemate’

The UN human rights commission says there is no timeline to release the report, which has been in the works for three years

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The UN’s top human rights body will not publish a report on suspected abuses in Xinjiang before the Winter Olympics. Photo: AFP

Published: 2:40am, 3 Feb 2022Updated: 7:41am, 3 Feb 2022

The United Nations and China have been accused of fabricating a “mutually convenient stalemate” after its top human rights body confirmed it will not publish a report on alleged abuses in the Chinese region of Xinjiang before this month’s Winter Olympics.

The UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said there was still no timeline to release its first ever report on the region, which has been in the works for three years and is believed to have been ready for publication for much of that time.

The two have also been locked in years of negotiations over an inspection of conditions in Xinjiang by human rights chief Michelle Bachelet.

But documents obtained by the South China Morning Post suggested China’s negotiating position had not changed since 2019, raising questions as to the nature of the talks.

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“I am afraid we don’t have an updated timeline yet for the publication of the report. However, I understand that it will not be ready for publication before the start of the Winter Olympics this Friday,” OHCHR spokeswoman Liz Throssell said.

It had previously been reported that the Chinese government asked the UN to delay the release until after the Games, which end on February 20.

UN accused of colluding with China to delay Xinjiang human rights report until after Beijing Winter Olympics

Leaked documents show China’s negotiating position over an inspection of Xinjiang has not changed for years, amid criticism of a ‘mutually convenient stalemate’ The UN human rights commission says there is no timeline to release the report, which has been in the works for three years

Leaked documents show China’s negotiating position over an inspection of Xinjiang has not changed for years, amid criticism of a ‘mutually convenient stalemate’

The UN human rights commission says there is no timeline to release the report, which has been in the works for three years