The resolution establishing the Human Rights Council requires China to “uphold the highest standards” of human rights and “fully cooperate” with the Council in order to be elected. As it stands, China meets neither of these criteria.

China has among the very worst records of cooperation with the Council’s independent human rights experts. China’s domestic human rights record similarly falls short of the “highest standards.” Urgent human rights concerns include: the government’s control and direction of judicial institutions and decisions, the use of “re-education-through-labor” and administrative detention, forced confessions and torture, sanctions on journalists, harassment and prosecution of human rights defenders, repression of ethnic Tibetans and Uighurs, and discrimination against rural citizens.

• Censorship and restrictions on freedom of expression
• State control of the judicial system and regulation of lawyers
• Abuses against human rights defenders
• Mistreatment of migrant workers
• Failure to protect rights of drug users and those living with HIV/AIDS
• Restrictions on freedom of religion
• Human rights abuses in Tibet
• Torture and abuse in prisons

As a Council member, China is required to “fully cooperate with the Council,” but has consistently failed to meet this obligation.

• As of April 2009, China has seven outstanding requests for visits from independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council, ranging from 2002 to 2008. Even when it has permitted a visit, China has limited the expert’s access.
• Despite this long record of obstructing access, China claimed at its Universal Periodic Review in February 2009 that it maintains good cooperation with the Council’s experts.