China shows little respect for human rights: UN High Commissioner

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday said China's actions on human rights did not match its words and the level of respect for basic liberties remained low in the country.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein presented his annual report on human rights in the world to the UN Human Rights Council, criticising the situation in China in the report, Efe news reported.

"President Xi Jinping has called for 'people-centred development for win-win outcomes as part of a community of shared future for mankind', a commendable ambition. Sadly, China's global ambitions on human rights are seemingly not mirrored by its record at home," Hussein said.

"My office continues to receive urgent appeals regarding arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, ill-treatment and discrimination, emanating from human rights defenders, lawyers, legislators, booksellers, and members of communities such as Tibetans and Uyghurs," he added.

Hussein said many of the cases involved people fighting against economic, social and cultural injustices such as corruption, illegal seizure of land and forced evictions or destruction of cultural sites.

--IANS

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