The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will open amid atrocity crimes and other grave human rights violations by the Chinese government, 243 nongovernmental organizations from around the world said today. The groups urged governments to join a diplomatic boycott of the Games, slated to begin February 4, 2022, and for athletes and sponsors not to legitimize government abuses.
"It's not possible for the Olympic Games to be a 'force for good,' as the International Olympic Committee claims, while the host government is committing grave crimes in violation of international law," said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.
Under President Xi Jinping, Chinese authorities have been committing mass abuses against Uyghurs, Tibetans, ethnic groups, and religious believers from all independent faith groups. They have eliminated independent civil society by persecuting human rights activists, feminists, lawyers, journalists, and others. The government has eviscerated a once-vibrant civil society in Hong Kong, expanded tech-enabled surveillance to significantly curtail the rights to expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and allowed the use of forced labor, in violation of international law.
Chinese authorities also continue to threaten members of diaspora communities, public figures, and companies beyond China's borders through a sophisticated campaign of transnational repression.
"That the Winter Olympics is held in Beijing sends a signal to the world that Xi Jinping's government is normal," said Renee Xia, Director of Chinese Human Rights Defenders. "When the world rationalizes away such an abusive situation, it makes it harder for victims to stand up against injustice."
Since the Chinese government was awarded the 2022 Winter Games in 2015, nongovernmental organizations and media outlets have documented numerous serious human rights violations by Chinese authorities. Those include:
- Arbitrary detention, torture, and forced labor of millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic groups in Xinjiang (the Uyghur region);
- Decimation of independent media, democratic institutions, and rule of law in Hong Kong;
- High-tech surveillance systems enabling authorities to track and unjustly prosecute peaceful conduct, including criticism shared through apps, such as WeChat;
- Prosecution of people exercising rights to free expression, peaceful assembly, and association on behalf of vulnerable populations, including the lawyers Xu Zhiyong and Ding Jiaxi, the citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, the Tibetan monk and writer Go Sherab Gyatso, and public health activists known as the Changsha Funeng group; and
- Arbitrary detention, torture, and forcible disappearance of human rights defenders, including Gao Zhisheng and Guo Feixiong.
"The spectacle of the Olympics cannot cover up genocide," said Omer Kanat, executive director of the Uyghur Human Rights Project. "It's hard to understand why anyone feels it's even possible to celebrate international friendship and 'Olympic values' in Beijing this year."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said that its human rights obligations, announced in 2017, do not apply to the 2022 Winter Games. The IOC has not met its responsibilities under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by carrying out human rights due diligence despite the well-documented abuses in China, the groups said.
In other respects, the IOC has shown that its stated commitment to human rights means little. IOC President Thomas Bach participated in a Chinese government propaganda campaign to whitewash the sexual assault allegations brought by three-time Olympian Peng Shuai. The IOC has been unwilling to meet with the End Uyghur Forced Labor (EUFL) coalition, and has sported uniforms made by a company credibly alleged to use forced labor.
"The IOC claims that sport and politics do not mix, but the Chinese government was the one that used the 2008 Beijing Olympics to serve its political interests," said Bhuchung K. Tsering, interim president of the International Campaign for Tibet. "Tibetans in Tibet then took the risk to tell the world about this, but the IOC didn't pay heed. The upcoming Beijing Olympics is a unique opportunity for the IOC and governments to empower their athletes and press Chinese authorities to abide by international norms."
The top corporate sponsors of the Games - Airbnb, Alibaba, Allianz, Atos, Bridgestone, Coca-Cola, Intel, Omega, Panasonic, P&G, Samsung, Toyota, and Visa - have also not fulfilled their human rights due diligence responsibilities. The companies have not provided meaningful public responses to concerns that their sponsorship creates or contributes to human rights violations, or whether they have acted to mitigate those violations. Sponsors should immediately disclose their human rights due diligence strategies, or explain their failure to carry out such assessments, the groups said
Several governments, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Lithuania, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have announced a diplomatic boycott of the Games in response to the Chinese government's human rights abuses. They will send no senior officials - a longstanding Olympic tradition - to the opening or closing ceremonies. All governments, whether joining the diplomatic boycott or not, should use the opportunity to not only support the athletes participating in the Games, but also demonstrate concrete support for human rights defenders across China.
"We urge governments to send messages of support to human rights defenders in prison or detention who are paying a great price for advocating reform, defending the rights of others, or simply discussing ways to strengthen civil society in China," said Sharon Hom, executive director of Human Rights in China.
Those participating in the Beijing Olympics face a host of human rights risks, the groups said. IOC rules prohibit athletes from publicly expressing their views on human rights in China on the Olympic podium, and Chinese authorities' retaliation against critics creates a chill for athletes worldwide. The Chinese government's willingness to arbitrarily detain foreigners for peaceful criticism, such as the Swedish publisher Gui Minhai, further limits free speech. Olympic athletes, coaches, and other support staff are also likely to be subjected to pervasive state surveillance, particularly through monitoring of digital communications.
"Athletes upholding Olympic ideals should not have to face omnipresent surveillance, repression of free speech or belief, and an insecure human rights environment to participate in the Games," said Bob Fu, president of ChinaAid.
Spectators around the world watching the Winter Games can play a positive role by educating themselves about the human rights environment inside China, and can take actions ranging from purchasing products not made with forced labor to encouraging their own governments to pursue accountability for Chinese government officials responsible for the worst international crimes. People can urge companies to sign the EUFL coalition's Call to Action.
"The stark reality of the Chinese government's atrocity crimes and ongoing impunity should compel the IOC, sponsors, and others associated with the Olympics to question whether these Games are legitimizing and prolonging grave abuses," said Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress. "No one should want another Olympics like this."
Nongovernmental Organization Signatories:
- 6.12 Manchester Working Group
- ACAT Belgium
- Adas Israel Social Action Committee
- Alberta Uyghur Association
- All Citizenship Compact
- Alliance for Vietnam's Democracy
- ALTSEAN-Burma
- American Alliance for Automotive Corporate Social Responsibility
- Amigos del Tibet Chile
- Anti-China Expansion Movement
- Anti-Slavery International
- Army of Survivors
- ARTICLE 19
- Asociación Cultural Tibetano-Costerricense
- ASSEMBLY FOR DEMOCRACY IN VIETNAM
- Athenai Institute
- Athlete Activist
- Athlete Ally
- Australia Tibet Council
- Australian Centre for International Justice
- Australian East Turkestan Association
- Australian Uyghur Association
- Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association
- Austria Uyghur Association
- Bauhinias For Freedom
- Bay Area Friends of Tibet
- Be Slavery Free
- Belgium Uyghur Association
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- Bloc 8406 International
- Blue Crescent Humanitarian Aid Association
- Campaign For Uyghurs
- Captive Nations Coalition of the Committee on Present Danger: China
- China Against the Death Penalty
- China Human Rights Defenders
- ChinaAid
- Chinese Democracy And Human Rights Alliance
- Christian Coalition for Uyghur Freedom
- Church of Scientology National Affairs Office
- Citizen Power Initiatives for China
- CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
- Comitato Lady Lawyer Village
- Comité de Apoyo al Tíbet CAT
- Congregation Beth Ora
- Consortium for Intersectional Justice
- Coordination des Associations et des Particuliers pour la Liberté de Conscience
- Corporate Accountability Lab
- CSW
- Czech Support Tibet
- Dawn of HongKong
- Den norske uyghur komiteen
- Dialogue China
- Dominican Sisters Grand Rapids
- Dutch Uyghur Human Rights Foundation
- East Turkestan Press and Media Association
- East Turkestan Union of Muslim Scholars
- East Turkistan Association in Finland
- East Turkistan Association of Canada
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association
- East Turkistan Entrepreneur Tradesmen and Industrialists Businessmen Association
- East Turkistan Human Rights Watch Association
- East Turkistan New Generation Movement
- East Turkistan Nuzugum Culture and Family Association
- East Turkistan Sports and Development Association
- East Turkistan Union in Europe
- Eastern Turkistan Foundation
- Emgage Action
- Equality League
- European East Turkistan Education Association
- Family Research Council
- FIDH - International Federation for Human Rights
- FIDU - Italian Federation for Human Rights
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- Finnish Uyghur Culture Center
- Football Supporters Europe
- Frankfurt Stand With Hong Kong
- Free Tibet
- Free Uyghur Now
- Freedom House
- Freedom Ummah
- Friends of Hong Kong Calgary
- Friends of Tibet Bulgaria
- Front Line Defenders
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- Germany Stands with Hong Kong
- Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities
- Global Athlete
- Global Peace Mission (GPM) Malaysia
- Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete-Portugal
- Havurat Shalom
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights
- Hong Kong Committee in Norway
- Hong Kong Democracy Council
- Hong Kong Watch
- Hong Kongers in San Francisco Bay Area
- Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.
- HOPE not hate
- Human Rights Foundation
- Human Rights in China
- Human Rights Research and Education Centre, University of Ottawa
- Human Rights Watch
- Human Rights Without Frontiers
- Human Trafficking Search
- Humanitarian China
- Ilham Tohti Initiative
- Indonesia Save Uyghur
- International Campaign for Tibet
- International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse In China (ETAC)
- International Pen Uyghur Center
- International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
- International Society for Human Rights
- International Support for Uyghurs
- International Tibet Network
- International Union of East Turkistan Organizations
- International Uyghur Human Right and Democracy Foundation
- Isa Yusup Alptekin Foundation
- Islamic Community Milli Gorus
- Islamic Information Services Foundation
- Japan Uyghur Association
- Jewish Community Relations Council/American Jewish Committee Detroit
- Jewish Movement for Uyghur Freedom
- Jewish World Watch
- Judicial Reform Foundation
- Justice For All
- Justice for Uyghurs
- Lady Lawyer Foundation
- Lantos Foundation for Human Rights & Justice
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- LICADHO
- Louise Xin Group
- LUNGTA - Actief voor Tibet
- Malaysia Consultative Council of Islamic Organization (MAPIM)
- Malaysia4Uyghur
- Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organizations
- Minaret Foundation
- Minh Van Foundation
- Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies
- Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM)
- National Clergy Council
- Netherlands for Hong Kong
- Norwegian Uyghur Committee
- Omer Uygur Foundation
- Overseas Liaison Office Representative for The Interfaith Council in Vietnam
- Peace Catalyst International
- Perth Anti-CCP Association
- Power of Sport Lab / Athletes for Human Rights
- People for Successful Corean Reunification (PSCORE)
- Religious Freedom Institute
- René Cassin, the Jewish voice for human rights
- Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
- Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
- Satuq Bugrakhan Foundation of Science and Civilization
- Silk Road Peace Project
- SoCal Students for Uyghur Justice
- Society for Threatened Peoples
- Society Union of Uyghur National Association
- Stand with HK@JPN
- Stand with Hong Kong Vienna
- STANDNOW
- Stefanus Alliance International
- [Redacted for Anonymity]
- Stop Uyghur Genocide UK
- Stop Uyghur Genocide Australia
- Stop Uyghur Genocide Canada
- Students for a Free Tibet - Denmark
- Students for Free Tibet - Japan
- Students For Liberty - Myanmar
- Sweden Uyghur Education Union
- Swedish Tibet Committee
- Swiss Tibetan Friendship Association
- Switzerland East Turkestan Association
- Sydney Uyghur Association
- Taiwan Association for China Human Rights
- Taiwan Association for Human Rights
- Taiwanese Human Rights Association of Canada
- Temple Shalom
- Thailand and Hong Kong Together
- The Army of Survivors
- The Community Human Rights Promotion and Protection Association (ACPDH)
- The Norwegian Tibet Committee
- THE TAIWAN UNITED NATIONS ALLIANCE (TAIUNA)
- The Tibet Support Committee, Denmark
- The Viet Democratic Side's International Forum
- Tibet Action Institute
- Tibet Initiative Deutschland e.V.
- Tibet Justice Center
- Tibet Mx
- Tibet Solidarity
- Tibet Support Group Ireland
- Tibetan Community in Britain
- Tibetan Parliament in Exile
- Tibetan Youth Association in Europe
- Transparency International Deutschland e.V.
- Tso Pema Non-Profit
- Uigur Society of the Kyrgyz Republic
- Uigurische Gemeinde Österreich
- Umer Uyghur Trust
- Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam
- United Council of Vietnamese Homeland and Overseas
- universitet Sulayman Demirel
- Uyghur Academy Australia
- Uyghur Academy Canada
- Uyghur Academy Europe
- Uyghur Academy Foundation
- Uyghur Academy Japan
- Uyghur Academy USA
- Uyghur American Association
- Uyghur Association of Victoria
- Uyghur Center for Human Rights and Democracy
- Uyghur Cultural and Education Union in Germany
- Uyghur Education Union
- Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Uyghur Projects Foundation
- Uyghur Refugee Relief Fund
- Uyghur Research Institute
- Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
- Uyghur Science and Civilization Research Foundation
- Uyghur Support Group Netherlands
- Uyghur Transitional Justice Database
- Uyghur U.K. Association
- Uyghur Youth Union in Kazakhstan
- Uzbekistan Uyghur Culture Center
- Verein der Tibeter in Deutschland
- Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation
- Victoria Uyghur Association
- Vietnamese Community of Pomona Valley
- Visual Artists Guild
- We The Hongkongers
- [Redacted For Anonymity]
- Women's Rights Without Frontiers
- World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)
- World Uyghur Congress Foundation
- (美国)民主中国阵线
- 加拿大价值守护者联盟
- 台灣聯合國協進會
- 民主中華傳媒
- 民主黨洛杉磯委員會
- 洛杉矶中国民主平台
- 自由中國
- 自由雕塑公園
- 華人基督徒公義團契
