At the end of the 35th round of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue that was held in Brussels on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 June, the European External Action Service said that the EU called on China to release all human rights defenders who were in prison or had been sentenced because of their activities. According to the EU, the civil and political rights situation in China is currently becoming worse.
"The expectation of the European Union, as reiterated in the dialogue, is that all individuals detained in connection with their advocacy of human rights be released from custody", the EEAS stated in its press release, adding that these people should be allowed to be represented by a lawyer of their choosing, be given the possibility of meeting their family members, have access to appropriate medical assistance when required, and have allegations of their mistreatment promptly investigated.
Restrictions to freedom of expression in China and systemic problems in the criminal justice system, including cases of arbitrary detention and allegations of torture, were also raised by the European Union delegation. In addition, the two sides discussed the freedom of peaceful assembly and association, including the implementation of China’s Foreign NGO Activity Management Law. The EU delegation was led by Paola Pampaloni, Deputy Managing Director for Asia and the Pacific in the European External Action Service, while the Chinese delegation was led by Liu Hua, Special Representative for Human Rights and Deputy Director General for International Organisations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. The EU also raised several specific cases, in particular that of Chinese Nobel Peace Prize winner Liu Xiaobo, who is suffering from cancer and whose lawyer announced on Monday 26 June that he has been released for a few days.
In addition, the EU and Chinese delegations also spoke about migration and the rights of refugees, the freedom of religion and belief, and minority rights (especially in Tibet and Xinjiang).
At the EU-China summit on 2 June, European Council President Donald Tusk spoke of European concerns about the respect of human rights in China (see EUROPE 11801). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)