United News of India
Washington, Apr 21: US State Department on Tuesday accused China of carrying out human rights violations in the form of arbitrary detentions and torturing those detained.
State Department’s Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, in a statement, expressed concern regarding China’s human rights record. “We continue to call for the release of all of those unjustly detained, such as Li Yuhan and Yu Wensheng, as well as other Chinese citizens who are in detention simply for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms in pursuit of a more equitable and just society, governed by the rule of law”, she said.
She further said that US remains concerned by the PRC’s weak rule of law, arbitrary detentions, torture in custody, and continued violations and abuses of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals inside its borders. “We urge the PRC to uphold its international human rights commitments and promises made in its own constitution”, she maintained.
The department urged the Chinese government to allow prominent human right activist Wang Quanzhang’s freedom of movement, who was recently released from prison.
“The United States calls on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to allow human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang’s freedom of movement, including the ability to join his family in Beijing, now that he has been released after five years of unjust detention. We remain very concerned about reports of his declining physical and mental health, and of his mistreatment in prison”, the statement read.
Wang was detained as part of the PRC’s nationwide roundup of more than 300 human rights lawyers and legal associates beginning July 9, 2015.
The World report 2020 by Human Rights Watch noted that China under the leadership of President Xi Jinping’s the one party government has tightened its grip over sectors of society which threatens free flow of information, activists, and nongovernmental organizations.
The report expressed concern over the increased ideological control of the state particularly in higher education, among religious and ethnic minorities, and within the bureaucracy, underlining the government investing massive resources to new technologies for ensuring social control.
It also pointed out that China uses financial incentives and intimidation for manipulating the discourse about China around the world.
