Amnesty International: Latest Press Releases

AI Index: ASA 17/011/2001

Publish date: 18/04/2001

Once again China has escaped scrutiny at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, by successfully using a procedural motion "to take no action" to prevent debate of a draft resolution on its human rights record.

"Year in and year out, China -- a major world power and a leading human rights violator -- uses the 'no action' motion to avoid scrutiny of its human rights record. The Commission allows political maneuvering to get in the way of what it is supposed to do -- protect human rights," Amnesty International said.

"As the UN's leading human rights body, the Commission has the responsibility of addressing human rights violations. Commission members should have a long hard think about what their role is and about the thousands of victims they are letting down, annually."

For more information on China's human rights record visit

www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/countries/china