UN Human Rights Council Fails to Pass Decision Over Debate on China’s Crimes in Xinjiang

Today, the UN Human Rights Council voted on the decision led by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and several other governments calling for a debate to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The decision failed with 19 votes against the measure, 17 in favor, and 11 abstentions. 

“We commend the United States and other countries for calling for a debate on Xinjiang at the next session of the Human Rights Council. The failure of this body to agree to this debate is a stain on the integrity of the Council. Instead of fulfilling their obligation to protect human rights, member states have instead cowered to the genocidal regime of the Chinese Communist Party, and ignored the important work done by OHCHR and many Special Rapporteurs” said Ambassador Andrew Bremberg, President of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC).

In August, the UN released the long-delayed report on Xinjiang, which detailed what it called “serious human rights violations” and concludes that the “extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups…may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”

Heavily citing the work of VOC and our Senior Fellow in China Studies, Dr. Adrian Zenz, the report detailed the scope of human rights violations against Uyghurs, including the nature and extent of the internment of Uyghurs, and the intent of the officials responsible as evidenced by the internment data and Chinese Communist Party speeches released by VOC in the Xinjiang Police Files.

At the next session of the Human Rights Council in March, the free world must again hold China to account for its crimes against humanity, and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation calls on all UN Member States to uphold the values they proclaim and to support any measure to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable.