On China’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva: Human Rights Watch, Tibet Movement Leaders & Activists will give on-the-spot analysis and reaction

Oct 18, 2013 | News, Stop PRC to UN Human Rights Council, Tibet

Contact:

Mandie McKeown, International Tibet Network, +44 7748 158 618, mandie@tibetnetwork.org

Human Rights Watch, Tibet Movement Leaders & Chinese Democracy Activists will give on-the-spot analysis and reaction to China’s Universal Periodic Review in Geneva
GLOBAL ONLINE PRESS CONFERENCE TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER

 

On Tuesday 22 October at 13.30hrs Geneva local time [08.30hrs EST], Tibet movement leaders, Human Rights Watch and Yang Jianli, a leading Chinese democracy activist, will hold an online global press briefing to analyse and respond to China’s performance during its second Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council. During the UPR, China’s human rights situation will be put under the microscope as other UN States “peer review” whether it has met stated requirements.

International Tibet Network, a global coalition of Tibet groups, and its Member groups submitted a written set of recommendations for Governments to raise during China’s UPR, including to end the use of patriotic re-education campaigns, which dramatically increase tensions in Tibet, for example directly contributing to China’s shooting of peaceful Tibetan protesters in the TAR on 6 October.

Human Rights Watch, one of the world’s leading organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights, has been urging the United Nations Human Rights Council and Member States to ensure China’s second UPR is a genuine and robust review of China’s human rights situation. In 2009 the Council’s credibility was severely challenged when China attempted to undermine the process by refusing to abide by the principles of genuine dialogue and cooperation.

Yang Jianli, President of Initiatives for China, is a leading Chinese dissident; a Tiananmen Square survivor now resident in the United States, and a long time democracy activist. Initiatives for China recently launched a campaign urging UN States to say “No” to China’s bid to be elected to the UN Human Rights Council on 12 November; signatories include
Chen Guangcheng and Tiananmen Mother Ding Zilin.
To join our live Google+ Hangout Press Briefing on 22 October (limited places available)

contact mandie@tibetnetwork.org. Questions will also be taken over skype and Twitter.

Chair:

Iona Liddell, Tibet Justice Center

 

Panel Speakers:

Padma Dolma, Students for a Free Tibet

Julie de Rivero, Human Rights Watch

Yang Jianli, Initiatives for China

Time: 19.30hrs Beijing Time / 13.30hrs CET / 08.30hrs EST.
For more information visit http://tibetnetwork.org/Media/UPRBriefing_22October
The Press Briefing will be convened by International Tibet Network.