UN rights body rejects call to debate Xinjiang abuse claims
- China narrowly sees off a bid by the US, Britain and Türkiye to discuss alleged mistreatment of the Uygurs and other minority groups
- A report from the former UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet found that possible ‘crimes against humanity’ had taken place in the western region of China
At the 47-member Human Rights Council, 17 countries voted in favour, 19 were against and 11 abstained in a vote to hold a debate on Xinjiang at its next session in March.
The vote amounted to a test of political and diplomatic clout between the West and Beijing, and would have marked the first time that China’s record on human rights would merit a specific agenda item at the council.
A simple majority of voting countries was required.
The make-up of the council rotates among UN member states each year, and China – a powerful country with a permanent seat on the Security Council – has never been the subject of a country-specific resolution at the council since it was founded more than 16 years ago.
“It’s always difficult for countries to vote against a permanent member of the Security Council,” said one Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
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UN human rights body says China may have committed crimes against humanity in Xinjiang
