More than 160 human rights groups around the world have signed a letter calling for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reverse its decision to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing allegations of widespread rights abuses by the Chinese government.
Hong Kong (CNN)More than 160 human rights groups around the world have signed a letter calling for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reverse its decision to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing allegations of widespread rights abuses by the Chinese government.
The letter, which is addressed to IOC president Thomas Bach, and signed by human rights organizations on every continent, said that the actions of the Chinese central government in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Inner Mongolia showed the country was unworthy to host the Winter Olympics.
The IOC said in 2017 that it would add human rights, anti-corruption and sustainable development clauses to Olympic Host City contracts in the future, beginning with the 2024 Summer Games.
Yaqiu Wang, a China researcher with Human Rights Watch, said that holding a prestige event like the Olympics was a source of “enormous pride” to the Chinese government.
