The recent appointment of Jiang Duan, an official at the Chinese Mission in Geneva, to a post at the UN Human Rights Council has drawn harsh criticism. Activists have called the integration of Beijing into UN human rights processes “absurd” considering China’s own record of human rights violations.

SPECIAL PROCEDURES IN THE UNHRC: WHY IS THIS POSITION SO IMPORTANT?

Jiang Duan has been appointed to the Consultative Group within the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which has the mandate to recommend candidates to fill ‘special procedures’ positions. The UNHRC serves as the primary UN body for the protection of human rights. Duan will be operating officially in his “personal capacity”, yet, in practice, country representatives pursue the interests of their respective governments..

In joining the UNHRC panel, China will thus be able to influence the selection of at least 17 UN human rights mandate-holders over the next year. These are known as special procedures roles, investigating either specific country situations, or larger global thematic issues, such as freedom of speech. These roles are key in the UN’s response to the enforcement of human rights globally.

DIPLOMATIC OUTREACH OR IDEOLOGICAL EXPANSION?

Over the last 40 years, China has increasingly positioned itself as a prominent actor within the UN. However, considering China’s own record of human rights violations, moves to push Beijing’s agenda in the UNHRC have raised eyebrows. Furthermore, resolutions presented by China have attempted to shift and undermine the global understanding of human rights, to Beijing’s benefit.

Under the Trump administration, the US withdrew the United States from the UNHRC in June of 2018, thereby removing itself from a key role in influencing the global conception of human rights. In this absence, China seems to be filling the financial and manpower leadership roles that the US has abandoned.

CENSORSHIP AND UYGHUR OPPRESSION: A POOR HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD FOR CHINA

China has been frequently criticised in the West for its “draconian” censorship. From a human rights perspective, one of the most pressing situations is that of the Uyghur Muslim ethnic minority, which has suffered for years under politically and culturally oppressive practices by China. The special procedures roles serve as a vital part of the UN machinery for addressing such human rights concerns, and there have been a number of UN communications on human rights violations against the Uyghar. Thus, there is legitimate concern that the Chinese government will use the appointment of Duan to try and prevent investigations into such violations.

Hillel Neuer, executive director of watchdog NGO UN Watch, was firm in condemning this appointment. “It’s absurd for the UN to allow the Chinese regime, which as a matter of policy and practice arbitrarily detains human right defenders like Zhang Baocheng and Wang Binzhang, to help nominate the next two members of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention,” said Neuer. “Likewise, at a time when China has forcibly disappeared citizens who express dissent like the executive Ren Zhiqiang who called Xi a ‘clown’ over coronavirus response — as well as upwards of a 1 Million Muslim Uyghur and minority group members — it is inconceivable that China would be allowed to influence the selection of the next member of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.”

In a press release, the World Uyghur Congress also condemned this appointment. They further stated that “this latest development must be understood in the broader context of China’s attempt to undermine and erode the very concept of human rights in the UN and to use its power and influence to install figures sympathetic to China at the highest levels.” 

Jiang Duan will hold the seat until March 2021.