40 countries call on China to respect the rights of Uyghurs

On Tuesday, about 40 countries at the United Nations, on the initiative of Germany, issued a joint statement calling for it China To “respecting the rights” of Uyghurs in the regions of Xinjiang and Tibet, also expressing concern about the developments in the situation in Hong Kong.

“We call on China to respect human rights, especially the rights of people from religious and ethnic minorities, especially in Xinjiang and Tibet,” said German Ambassador to the United Nations Christoph Heusgen during a meeting of the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly on human rights.

The statement was signed by 39 countries, including the United States and most European countries, including Albania, Bosnia, Canada, Haiti, Honduras, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

“We are extremely concerned about the human rights situation in Xinjiang and the recent developments in Hong Kong,” the signatories said in their statement.

They added, “We demand that China allow independent observers, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to have immediate and unimpeded access to Xinjiang.”

And immediately the Pakistani ambassador to the United Nations got up and read a statement signed by 55 countries, including China, condemning the use of the situation in Hong Kong to interfere in Chinese internal affairs.

In turn, the Chinese ambassador to the international organization, Zhang Jun, attacked Germany, the United States and Britain, because of what he considered their “hypocritical” position.

Addressing the three countries, Zhang said, “Put aside your arrogance and prejudices and back off the brink now.”

“Human Rights Watch” welcomed the signing by so many countries of the anti-China statement “despite the constant threats and methods of intimidation” practiced by Beijing, according to what the human rights organization said in a statement.