4 Apr 2002 22:43 UTC

Human rights groups are calling on the United Nations to pressure China to improve what they say is Beijing's worsening record on human rights. The call came in Geneva where the U.N. Human Rights Commission is holding its annual meeting.

The activists say millions of people are affected by what they say are mounting abuses in China against religious groups, minorities, labor organizations and pro-democracy activists. The groups allege that China is using the international war against terrorism as an excuse for a crackdown and they expressed concern that current events in the Middle East may cause the issue to slip off the U.N.'s agenda.

[...] Meanwhile, a Falun Gong representative, Erping Zhang says Chinese authorities have sent more than 150,000 people who follow the banned spiritual movement to forced labor camps.

The United States traditionally presents a resolution on China before the United Nations, but it was voted off the commission last year. Diplomats say so far no other country has challenged China's human rights record.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

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