China under the Microscope: The Second Universal Periodic Review
The human rights records of UN member states are reviewed once every four and a half years in a process known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). China’s second UPR is scheduled for October 22, 2013, and will cover achievements, areas for improvement, and the status of recommendations agreed to in 2009. In preparation for the review that will likely be more rigorous than the first, Dui Hua looks at key issues like capital punishment, arbitrary detention, and UN cooperation.
Photo credit: China-un.org
Among the recommendations China accepted in its 2009 Universal Periodic Review was one put forward by Mozambique “to continue efforts aimed at further enhancing the status of women.” In the corrections sector, China has taken some positive steps but has not consistently applied a gender-specific approach. One issue that has seen limited progress is domestic violence, experienced by one third of Chinese families and a leading cause of crime among women in China.
Photo Credit: The Guardian
China’s State Security Trials Suggest Ethnic Discrimination
Between 2008 and 2010, Xinjiang, which accounts for less than 2 percent of China’s population, accounted for 50 percent of the nation’s endangering state security trials. Splittism is the main focus of “stability maintenance” in the region that has a large ethnic population. In its most recent report on US human rights, China harshly criticizes ethnic discrimination in law enforcement, but is China willing to account for similar practices at home?
Photo Credit: Chinatourguide.com
Naturalized American citizen and geologist Xue Feng (薛峰) received his first sentence reduction in 2012 and is now due for release in January 2015. Democracy activist and permanent US resident Wang Bingzhang (王炳章)has yet to have his life sentence commuted or receive medical parole, and no sentence reductions were given to food safety advocate Guo Li (郭利). In comparison, sentence reductions for individuals charged with espionage appeared abundant.
Photo credit: Hong Kong Economic Times
A brief look at Dui Hua activities from November through January highlighting media coverage of our juvenile justice exchange, progress on our women in prison initiative, and updates on community outreach and year-end fundraising.