Cross-posted from: https://feddit.de/post/8243079

Almost 50 delegations clearly criticized the state of human rights in China and submitted concrete, measurable proposals. For example, they demanded that the country place a moratorium on the death penalty, provide unhindered access to U.N. special rapporteurs and release arbitrarily detained human rights lawyers.

Another 30 or so governments issued more cautiously worded recommendations that do little to risk China’s ire. Uganda and the Philippines, for example, called on China to better protect the rights of migrants. It was also striking that there were tangible recommendations for China from Asia, Africa and South America, not just from Europe or the United States. «It’s not just about the West versus China, even if China tries to portray it that way,» says Raphael Viana David, who is responsible for China issues at the International Service for Human Rights.

This means that at least half of the countries participating in the U.N. human rights meeting sought to make China accountable for its own actions, in so doing creating a new standard for their own China policies. China is now tasked with accepting or rejecting these recommendations, and with reporting back to the Human Rights Council. It is a token gesture that will do little to improve the situation of a citizen journalist in China or a Hong Kong democracy activist.