CONSERVATIVE PARTY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION CALL NEW INQUIRY ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN CHINA

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Four years after conducting an in-depth inquiry into human rights in China and published a major report, The Darkest Moment, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission has initiated a new investigation into China’s human rights record. 

The inquiry, which will involve at least two hearings in Parliament and a call for written submissions, will particularly focus on human rights violations in China since 2016, when the previous inquiry concluded. It will look at the situation for Uyghurs and others in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Hong Kong, the link between human rights violations, surveillance, artificial intelligence and technology in light of the UK’s decision to engage Huawei in 5G telecommunications infrastructure, and human rights violations in the context of the Coronavirus. It will also examine violations of freedom of religion or belief against Uyghur and other Muslims, Christians and others, and allegations of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience, as well as restrictions on freedom of expression.  

On Monday 16 March at 5pm the Commission will hold its first hearing in Parliament, with Uyghur witnesses and experts, and on Monday 26 March at 6pm a second hearing will be held at which witnesses will include British businessman Peter Humphrey who was jailed in China and former Hong Kong British Consulate official Simon Cheng, who was arrested and detained in China. 

Fiona Bruce MP, Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, said: “In light of recent developments in China and beyond its borders, including the UK government’s decision to invite Huawei into our developing 5G telecommunications infrastructure, the grave violations in Xinjiang, the escalation of the situation in Hong Kong, and the coronavirus, we felt it was timely, topical and important to update our understanding of the human rights situation in China. Four years ago we conducted a very detailed inquiry, resulting in our in-depth report The Darkest Moment. It is right, four years on, to examine whether and how the situation has become even darker.” 

Notes: 

A call for evidence has been published on www.conservativehumanrights.com, and written evidence is invited to be submitted to cphrc@protonmail.com by 18.00 GMT on Monday 1 June. 


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