By Tenzin Tsering
Dharamsala, September 16: The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) began its 15th session in Geneva last Monday amid reports of escalating human rights violation and threats against human rights defenders across the world.
There is a “pressing need” for human rights protection “both in emergencies and chronic human rights situations” said Navi Pillay, High Commissioner of the UNHCR.
The Council also heard strong criticism from the UNHCR chief towards the big powers including China for its “rights crackdown”.
In her speech to the Council, Pillay pointed out that “human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society activists in all regions of the world face threats to their lives and security because of their work.”
Civil society groups have been hit by measures restricting their action in many states including Bahrain, Belarus, China, Egypt, Libya, Panama, Syria and Tunisia, she added.
A review of Human rights abuses perpetrated in Tibet by the Chinese government was given at the Council by Mr Tenzin Samphel Kayta, who represented the Society for Threatened Peoples.
Mr Kayta urged the Communist regime to put an “end to harassment against human rights defenders and Tibetan intellectuals in Tibet” and to implement the recommendation put forward by the UNHRC High Commissioner, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders and the Committee Against Torture.
While briefing the council on human rights concerns in Tibet, Mr Kayta talked about the Tibetan environmentalist and philanthropist Karma Samdup who is serving 15 years of imprisonment on a charge that was dropped more than a decade ago.
The Tibetan environmentalist is the latest victim of what many Tibet activists and analysts say is China’s recent stepping up of control against influential Tibetans like artistes, writers, singers and intellectuals.
“Karma Samdup is severely tortured by the police during several months of interrogation and the court’s dismissal of his testimony as irrelevant” and his health is a concern which has seen severe deterioration, said Mr Kayta in his appraisal to the Council.
The 47 nations Council which includes China was also informed of the arrest and sentences awarded to six of his family members within a span of one year.
The Chinese representatives reportedly tried to interrupt Mr Kayta while he was addressing the Council. However, such tactics by the Chinese delegation drew more attention and discussion from the NGOs on the issues submitted by the Tibetan delegation.
The Human Rights Council session, which is the principal UN intergovernmental body responsible for human rights continues for three weeks from September 13 to October 1.
