Amnesty International released its annual global human rights report on April 7, summarizing the human rights situation in 147 countries around the world, noting that the epidemic has further exacerbated human rights in all countries and exacerbated inequalities between rich and poor, including in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, and Tibet, China.
Amnesty International’s annual human rights report highlights that the epidemic has exacerbated social inequalities, with previously marginalized and disadvantaged communities being among the most affected by the epidemic, that it has further widened the gap between poor and wealthy countries, and that it has worsened conditions for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, making it more challenging for human rights defenders and asylum seekers around the world.
The report also notes that leaders in several countries have used the epidemic as a justification for further human rights violations, with countries such as Hungary introducing regulations that restrict citizens’ opinions as well as their activities. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has intensified his crackdown on opposition parties and civil society. China dominated much of Amnesty International’s 500-page report. The report notes that the human rights situation in China continued to deteriorate in 2020, and that Beijing has intensified its crackdown on human rights defenders and some of those it considers dissidents, citing Yu Wensheng, Xu Zhiyong, Huang Qi, Jiang Tianyong, and others. At the same time, Beijing has intensified its systematic repression of China’s ethnic minorities. The report describes the current situation in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia. In the case of Xinjiang, the report names a number of Uighurs and Kazakhs who have been sentenced to prison by Beijing, noting that the Chinese government has been repeatedly condemned at the United Nations and has been asked to allow independent researchers to visit Xinjiang. On Inner Mongolia, the report raises protests and concerns over changes to Beijing’s bilingual education law.
In the Freedom of Expression section, the report cites China’s concealment of the truth in the early stages of the epidemic against doctors such as Li Wenliang, and the Chinese government’s stifling of freedom of expression and expulsion of foreign journalists. In particular, the report notes that China’s implementation of national security laws in Hong Kong has deprived Hong Kong of freedom of expression.
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