Speech Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet: Dialogue with UN Human Rights

UK Statement at the Interactive Dialogue with Assistant Secretary General for Human Rights Ilze Brands Kehris

From:

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and James Roscoe

Location:

New York

Delivered on:

29 October 2021 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Assistant Secretary General,

We are grateful to you for your work and for raising a number of very important issues today. We would like to focus our comments on three issues.

The UK is appalled by reprisals against those who co-operate with the United Nations. We are grateful for the Assistant Secretary General’s efforts to tackle the issue. It is vital that all of us continue to bring attention to individual cases. Those states who are mentioned in the Secretary General’s report must cease all acts of intimidation and reprisal immediately.

The UK remains committed to championing media freedom, shining a spotlight on the issue and raising

the cost to those who harm journalists. A free and independent media plays a vital role in protecting human rights, and in underpinning democracy and economic prosperity. We have used our G7 Presidency to promote media freedom, welcoming the work of the Media Freedom Coalition, encouraging support to the Global Media Defence Fund, and recognising the importance of improving media sustainability and the effectiveness of our support to the media by working together to track, co-ordinate and share best practice.

Finally, we remain seriously concerned about the situation in Xinjiang. We welcome OHCHR’s commitment to release an assessment on Xinjiang and continue to call on China to allow the High Commissioner for Human Rights immediate and unfettered access to the region. We also remain deeply concerned about the deterioration of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong under the National Security Law and about the human rights situation in Tibet.