Human rights in ‘dire’ situation' under Xi: Human Rights Watch report/ENG

2017. január 20./Phayul.com/TibetPress

eredeti cikk

By Tenzin Monlam

DHARAMSHALA, JAN 20: The New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its latest report noted that the outlook for human rights, freedom of expression and religion in China remains in ‘dire’ situation under President Xi Jinping and that Tibet has ‘routinely faced denial of basic freedom of speech, assembly and movement’.

“In 2016 authorities prioritized rights-abusing ‘anti-splittism’ and ‘stability maintenance’ campaigns despite the absence of tangible threats, and forbade almost all residents of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) from foreign travel,” ‘World Report 2017, an annual review of human rights’, said.

The report also accounts Beijing’s policy of highly repressive rule, curtailing political activities and many peaceful expressions of ethnic and religious identity in Xinjiang and Tibet.

Expressing concern over the appointment of Wu Yingjie as the Party Secretary of TAR, the group stated that Wu, an ethnic Chinese Communist Party cadre is expected to continue with Chen Quanguo’s policies of ‘heavy-handed governance and social control’.

As a prime example of restrictions on freedom of religion in Tibet, the report gave emphasis on the demolition and forceful eviction of students at Larung Gar Institute.

On China’s move to further limit the freedom of expression, the group said, “In November, the government passed a Cyber-security Law, which will strangle online freedom and anonymity, and further clamped down on media outlets for reporting that departs from the party line.”