25th Session of the Human Rights Council: Joint oral statement delivered under China's UPR

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL

25th session (3-28 March 2014)

Item 6: UPR China

Oralstatement delivered by The WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT),

a non-governmentalorganisation in general consultative status in conjunction with the TibetanCentre for Human Rights and Democracy

Thank you Mr.President,

TheWorld Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and its member organisation theTibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) deeply regret that Chinahas refused to consider ratifying OP-CAT, an important tool to prevent tortureand ill-treatment, and among the recommendations made to China by the UNCommittee Against Torture in 2008. Both organisations urge China to reconsideraccepting this recommendation.

Despite some recentamendments made to the Criminal Procedure Law, torture remains rampant inChina. Our organisations are concerned about ongoing reports of torture,beatings and other abusive treatment in the Tibet Autonomous Region andneighbouring Tibetan prefectures and counties, in particular of Tibetan monksand nuns. Furthermore, both organisations are concerned that investigationsinto torture allegations are rarely carried out and that those responsible failto be prosecuted.

For example, on 23November 2013, Chinese officials arrested Ngawang Jampel, a senior TibetanBuddhists scholar. One month later, his body was returned to his family withclear signs that he was beaten and tortured during his detention.[1]

Our organisationsurge China to close the compliance gap on important matters such as theabsolute prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, notably by fully andeffectively implementing the recommendations by the UN Committee AgainstTorture.

Our organisationsare also concerned about assertions by China that are far removed from realitynotably that there are no arbitrary detentions in China and that human rightsdefenders are not subjected to reprisals.

Since October 2013,the month of China’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR), TCHRD has documented thedetention of 94 Tibetan political prisoners, including 23 monastics. In SichuanProvince, some counties have implemented a system of collective punishment forfamilies, villages, and monasteries associated with self-immolators.[2]

Our organisations werealso deeply saddened to learn about the death of Chinese human rights defender Cao Shunli on 14 March 2014, after she wasdenied medical treatment in detention. Cao Shunli was arrested in September2013 to prevent her from traveling to Geneva to attend a training on UN humanrights mechanisms ahead of China’s UPR. Cao Shunli was leading since 2008 a campaign to demand the Chinese Government to allowgenuine civil society participation in China’s UPR.

Our organisations call upon the Human Rights Counciland the international community to ensureaccountability for Cao’s death as well asfor the human rights abuses she died trying to bring to the attention of theinternational community. The Councilneeds to assume its responsibility in monitoring that there are no futurethreats to the participation of civil society representatives. Death is toohigh a price for cooperating with the UN human rights system.

We thank you.

[1] http://www.tchrd.org/2013/12/diru-crackdown-senior-tibetan-buddhist-scholar-beaten-to-death-in-police-custody/

[2] http://www.tchrd.org/2014/02/china-announces-unprecedented-harsh-measures-to-deter-self-immolations-in-tibets-dzoege-county/