The Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, Tim Loughton MP, today paid tribute to human rights defenders around the world and called on the UK government to act to stop genocide and crimes against humanity, and promote and protect human rights, as this weekend we marked the 75^th anniversary of the Genocide Convention and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This Wednesday 13 December, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission will hold a hearing in Parliament on Myanmar/Burma, and will hear testimony from the Minister for International Co-operation of the National Unity Government (NUG), Myanmar’s exiled legitimate government, Dr Sasa, as well as activists from the Burmese pro-democracy movement and the Karen, Kachin, Rohingya and Burmese Muslim communities.

Speaking ahead of the two 75^th anniversaries, Mr Loughton said:

“This weekend we mark the establishment of two of the most important documents in our lifetime, which encapsulate the values by which all of us who believe in freedom, an open society, the rule of law, democracy and human rights wish to live by. These two documents are inter-connected. One aims to prevent and punish the crime of all crimes, genocide, and the other provides an over-arching framework for all the human rights which we in the free world take for granted but which so many around the world yearn for but are denied.

If the commemoration of the 75^th anniversary of these two pivotal documents is to mean anything, it must result in action. That means action to stop the genocides of today, especially the genocide of the Uyghurs in western China and the Rohingyas in Myanmar, bring the perpetrators to justice and end impunity. It also means action to promote and protect human rights around the world, including calling for the release of jailed British citizen Jimmy Lai, whose 76^th birthday it is today, in prison in Hong Kong, demanding an end to the forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees from China to certain torture in North Korea, calling out the atrocities in Tibet, religious persecution in Nigeria, repression in Eritrea, Vietnam, Cuba, Russia or Belarus, and of course renewing our commitment to stand with Ukraine in the fight against Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

We must act, and legislate, against forced labour in our supply chains, impunity for atrocity crimes and the incarceration of people simply on account of their opinions, beliefs, religion or ethnicity. We must call for the release of political prisoners, the defence of civil society, the promotion of press freedom and freedom of religion or belief and the protection of human rights defenders throughout the world.

The Conservative Party Human Rights Commission renews its pledge to do everything we can to promote these objectives, for everyone, everywhere, on this 75^th anniversary of these two crucial documents which must be respected and upheld around the world.”