Anti-China protests held in Europe to mark International Human Rights Day

New Delhi: Several protests were held in a number of cities across Europe to condemn Chinese atrocities in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong.

Marking International Human Rights Day on December 10, some 100 protesters joined the protest rally to condemn China for violating human rights in the Dutch city of Amsterdam city. Hundreds of protestors that took part in the demonstrations represented the International Campaign for Tibet, Stichting Support Uyghurs organization, the Netherlands for Hong Kong group, Congress of Southern Mongolia and the Tibet Support group in the Netherlands.

Former Dutch MP Harry van Bommel also joined the protesters.

Meanwhile, another protest march was held in Geneva from Palais Wilson to Broken Chair square. Slogans were raised for Free Tibet and they called on the UN to exert pressure on China in this regard.

Around 200 persons participated in the rally. Protests were also held in London, Toronto and other major cities.

In a statement, the US Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns said that the United States remains deeply concerned over the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) failure to live up to its international commitments to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

“We call on the PRC to stop its ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, its repressive policies in Tibet, its dismantling of the autonomy it promised for Hong Kong, its arbitrary detention of those who speak out peacefully, and its global campaign of transnational repression,” he said in a statement.

Ambassador Burns said the United States will continue to support the right of peaceful protest, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the rule of law.