Joint Statement Delivered by H.E.Ambassador CHEN Xu on behalf of like-minded countries at the General Debate of Item 9 at the 51stSession of the Human Rights Council
2022-10-04 17:02

Mr. President,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of a group of countries. Though more than two years have passed since African American George Floyd died from police violence in law enforcement, discriminatory law enforcement against ethnic minorities by law enforcement departments and related violence and deaths in some countries keep emerging. We are deeply concerned and are sympathetic and supportive to the victims.

Law enforcement racism and violence are both matters of chronic, systemic and structural racism and social inequality in these countries, and the legacies of slavery and colonialism in their history. Ethnic minorities and groups in these countries, namely people of African descent, Asian descent and Muslim descent, have long been discriminated and marginalized with their rights violated and their safety under constant threat of violence. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, politicians in relevant countries have been spreading hate speech based on race and religion, exacerbating the difficult situation of relevant groups.

As the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action enters its third decade, we support its continuous and active implementation by the international community. We strongly call on relevant countries to face up to the serious problems of racism and racial discrimination in their own countries, take heed of miseries of ethnic minorities in their own countries, and comprehensively review and revise discriminatory institutions, laws, policies and measures, overhaul the law enforcement and justiciary bodies in particular, thoroughly investigate cases of violence to hold offenders accountable and compensate victims. We call on the Human Rights Council and OHCHR to attach greater importance to problems of racial discrimination and violence by law enforcement bodies and take necessary actions.

Thank you, Mr. President.