Resolution of the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva

Considering:

• That the People’s Republic of China is a Party to the International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of 12 December 1986, and that it ratified on 4 October 1988 and signed on 5 October 1998 the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 16 December 1966;
• That, more generally, human rights are part of international customary law, since they are the reflection of universal awareness of human dignity;
• That human rights include freedom of association (article 22 of the Covenant) and peaceful assembly (article 21 of the Covenant) and various guarantees which concern respect for life, liberty and security of person (Covenant, articles 6, 9 and 17) or prohibit cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (Covenant, articles 7 and 10; International Convention against Torture), arbitrary detention and other violations of the principles of judicial procedure (Covenant, articles 9 and 14);
• That the aforementioned freedoms and guarantees are frequently violated in the People’s Republic of China, inter alia, in the case of Falun Gong practitioners, a great many of whom are the victims of persecution, arrest, torture, other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, summary procedures or even capital punishment;
• That Government-level dialogue concerning the development of human rights exists between Switzerland and the People’s Republic of China and provides the occasion for regular meetings between the delegations of our two countries.

The Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva

Regrets that, despite the fact that the People’s Republic of China has acceded to the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and has ratified the International Convention against Torture, violations of human rights occur in China, inter alia, in respect of practitioners of Falun Gong, as regards:

• Freedom of association, which is severely restricted,
• Respect for life, liberty and security of person, particularly in view of the numerous arbitrary arrests, the practice of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and judicial procedures which are often summary, including the handing down and execution of capital sentences,

Nevertheless welcomes the dialogue initiated between the Swiss Federal Authorities and the People’s Republic of China with a view to encouraging the development of human rights in China, and expresses the hope that the Federal Council will continue this dialogue.

(Resolution R461 has been adopted on 24 October 2002 by the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva)