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Hearing on UN Features Bob Fu, Chinese Activist Booted from UN Human Rights Convention for Exposing Chinese Torture Methods |
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The Featured at the hearing will be Bob Fu, a former Chinese prisoner of conscience who was recently removed from the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Commission earlier this month, after he made a presentation showing how Many in Congress and around the world have questioned and criticized the membership of the UNCHR for including a number of countries whose records on human rights are almost universally recognized as deplorable. Many of these regimes (such as the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan) seek membership on the UNCHR in order to deflect criticism from their own poor human rights records, and mutually support each other to prevent the Commission from appointing special rapporteurs to examine particular human rights abuses or situations. “The Chinese delegation was sadly able to silence a prominent human rights critic by manipulating the rules of the UN conference and levying false threat allegations. Because the UN unfortunately accepted and bowed to the Chinese delegation’s outrageous demands, other NGOs could now come under government pressure to curtail their criticism of regimes that flagrantly violate human rights. Whenever an NGO issues credentials to outspoken advocates, in the back of their minds they must now worry that the UN might side with tyrannies and kick human rights supporters out of the session if they say or display anything a human rights abuser feels is objectionable” Chairman Chris Smith said. | ||
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For Immediate Release: April 18, 2005 Contact: Andy Napoli (202) 225-3765 |
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