News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International

13 July 2001

As host of the 2008 Olympic Games, China must improve its human rights situation and uphold principles enshrined in The Olympic Charter, including to encourage "...the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity", Amnesty International said today.

Vice-President of the Beijing 2008 bid committee, Liu Jingmin, said in April that, "By allowing Beijing to host the Games you will help the development of human rights."

"Considering the escalation in serious and widespread human rights violations over the past three years, the Chinese authorities have a long way to go to demonstrate a healthy and basic respect for human rights," Amnesty International said.

[...]

Religious and ethnic minorities such as Tibetans, Uighurs, Falun Gong practitioners and Christians continue to face repression, including arbitrary detention, torture and lengthy prison sentences. Over 200 Falun Gong practitioners are reported to have died in custody since July 1999. When the spiritual movement was first banned, police rounded up thousands of practitioners in a Beijing stadium.

[...]

"The International Olympic Committee should request iron-clad assurances that people will not be rounded up and detained each time one of its officials visits Beijing," Amnesty International said. "It should also monitor how China respects the ethical principles enshrined in the Olympic Charter at all stages of preparation for the Games."

"The Chinese government must prove it is worthy of staging the Games by upholding the Olympic spirit of 'fair play' and extending 'respect for universal fundamental ethical principles' to the people of China," Amnesty International said.