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03/28/2024 12:29:06 pm

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China Urged to Reveal Torture Methods in UN Human Rights Review

China Urged To Reveal Torture Methods In UN Human Rights Review

(Photo : Reuters) Human Rights Watch has called on Chinese leaders to live up to their words by opening up to a United Nations review about torture in the country.

A human rights watchdog  is challenging China to reveal its torture cases and methods and its promise to curb wrongful convictions at a key United Nations torture review which will be held in Geneva from November 17-18.

The Human Rights Watch said the review is China's fifth under the UN Convention against Torture, which seeks to be provided with answers to the tough questions on torture it has posed to China over the years.

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The review takes place after years of Chinese government promises to stop wrongful convictions, which are often the result of endemic torture.

The Human Rights Watch said torture is an everyday occurrence in China and they expect Beijing to be straightforward and honest in explaining to the Convention why the problem of torture continues to exist in China

Sophie Richardson, director of Human Rights Watch in China, said Chinese leaders should be prepared to answer the tough questions in the review if they are really determined to eradicate torture as they had announced earlier.

"Dishonesty, evasion, or obfuscation from officials at the review can only deepen torture survivors' agony. An honest discussion that commits to accountability for torturers might help mitigate survivors' pain and indicate willingness to reform," said Richardson.

Richardson said the world is watching how President Xi Jinping will address the issue of torture and be perceived as sincere in his earlier pronouncements that Beijing is 'serious' in trying to curb torture cases in its backyard.

Human Rights Watch said that the world will only know that China is serious in putting a stop to torture when Chinese government officials start to give credible information to the review and when those who want to participate in the review will do so without fear of reprisals and imprisonment and when survivors of torture will be given justice by prosecuting officials responsible for committing torture.

China's torture records were last reviewed in 2008 by the Committee Against Torture (CAT), the panel of experts that determine state compliance under the Convention Against Torture.

Reports indicate that China has implemented a series of reforms on its criminal justice system since then, which includes humane treatment of criminal suspects.

The reforms were instituted after the local press exposed cases of severe torture of criminal suspects, which often led to wrongful convictions and even death of the criminal suspects.

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