The United States and the European Union have insisted that China should release more than half a dozen political detainees in its custody.

According to the two governments, the human rights situation has been steadily deteriorating, with hundreds of lawyers and activists getting detained in the past year.

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"I remain extremely concerned about the ongoing detention of Chinese lawyers," Max Baucus, the United States ambassador to China, said. "China's treatment of these lawyers and advocates calls into question its commitment to the rule of law." 

Since assuming office in 2012, Chinese President Xi Jinping has overseen a massive crack down on freedom of speech, human rights lawyers, religion, and proponents of feminism.

Attorneys such as Li Heping, Xie Yang, and Xie Yanyi are under custody, and Baucus singled out their cases, calling out for their immediate release.

Tashi Wangchuk, a detained Tibetan language advocate, and Ilham Toti, a Muslim Uighur academic serving a life sentence, were also mentioned.

The European Union also chirped on the issue, urging China "to immediately release any individual who has been detained for seeking to exercise, protect or promote their own rights or the rights of others."

The calls were made to celebrate the Human Rights Day, a United Nations holiday commemorating the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. China is a signatory of the accord.

In a statement, the European Union said that it is extremely concerned about the human rights activists and their families who have been harassed of their efforts to promote rights, which are protected in China's constitution and international law.

Chinese activists, on the other hand, are worried that the United States' statement could be the last as there are beliefs that US President-elect Donald Trump could pull back from defending human rights around the world.

TagsChina human rights, china, European Union, Barack Obama, donald trump, President Xi Jinping