Brussels: International human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, urged European Union (EU) leaders Tuesday to take a stance on the human rights crisis in China with the same determination that the EU has shown on security and trade issues.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the organizations emphasized the importance of adopting clear public positions during the EU-China summit on July 24 and 25, in Beijing, China. In a joint letter addressed to European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the organizations emphasized the need for the summit outcomes to include concrete steps to ensure justice for victims and hold those responsible accountable.
The letter called for the condemnation of what it described as "crimes against humanity committed by the Chinese government," while affirming the principle of universal jurisdiction. It referred to the decision of Argentina's highest criminal court, the Federal Court of Criminal Cassation on June 18, 2025, which accepted a lawsuit filed by members of the Uyghur minority accusing Chinese officials of genocide and crimes against humanity, setting a precedent that should be followed in Europe.
They also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all human rights defenders detained for their peaceful work, including European citizen Gui Minhai, Sakharov Prize laureate Ilam Tohti, activist Zhang Zhan, and others named in recent EU statements at the UN Human Rights Council. The letter urged the Chinese government to abide by its international human rights obligations and repeal laws and practices that contradict them.