Fifteen countries have issued a joint statement at the 80th United Nations General Assembly’s(UNGA) Third Committee, openly condemning China’s grave and systematic human rights violations within its borders and beyond.
The countries includes Australia, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The statement accused the Chinese authorities of running an extensive architecture of repression involving mass arbitrary detentions, forced labour, invasive surveillance, and restrictions on religious and cultural freedoms.
The coalition also drew attention to Hong Kong, warning that the city’s rule of law and freedoms have been severely undermined under Beijing’s control.
Calling for urgent action, the coalition demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all individuals detained for exercising fundamental rights, and urged UN members to hold China accountable through international legal mechanisms.