(Clearwisdom.net) "Promotion of human rights is not just a right in itself but an integral part of our long-term security," Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said following the publication of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights Annual Report. The Report incorporates comments and recommendations from the House of Common's Foreign Affairs Committee and from a number of human rights non-governmental organisations. [...] In China the last year has seen continuing harassment of dissidents, some religious practitioners and Falun Gong adherents.

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Rejecting the notion that human rights have taken a back seat since 11 September, Jack Straw said:

"The action the international community has taken since 11 September should be seen as important for the global cause of human rights. The tragic lesson we learned from the attacks on the Twin Towers was that no matter how distant such evil seems we ignore it at our peril." "It follows that a key task for Britain's foreign policy is to monitor adherence to human rights and the rule of law worldwide. When we detect violations we will take them up with the violators and press for change."

http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page6166.asp

In the section related to China, the report says, "We continue to have serious concerns about the human rights situation in China. The last year has seen continuing harassment of dissidents, some religious practitioners and Falun Gong adherents.

Reform of the administrative detention system has stalled, and there are credible reports of many thousands of Falun Gong adherents detained without trial for "re-education". There is evidence of the misuse of psychiatric institutions to detain and "treat" Falun Gong adherents and other dissidents. The government acknowledges that the use of torture to extract confessions remains a problem in the judicial system."

The report raised the case of sixteen Falun Gong practitioners arrested in Hong Kong while protesting outside the Central People's Government Liaison Office. It pointed out this was the first prosecution of Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong. UK is following the developments closely.

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Category: April 25 Events