EU Parliament holds session on China’s human rights abuses

The EU Parliament held an urgent session on China’s human rights abuses, focusing on Uyghurs, Hong Kong, Tibet, and transnational repression. MEPs called for expanded sanctions on Chinese officials.

The European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI), chaired by French MEP Mounir Satouri, convened an urgent meeting on July 16, 2025, to address the escalating China’s human rights abuses.

Held under the backdrop of the EU flag, the session focused on the intensifying repression of Uyghurs, the erosion of democratic freedoms in Hong Kong, and China’s aggressive cultural assimilation policies targeting Tibetans and Mongolians.

MEPs highlighted the ongoing systematic abuses against Uyghurs, including mass internment, forced labor, family separations, and transnational repression targeting Uyghur diaspora communities in Europe.

The discussion also covered the deterioration of democratic institutions in Hong Kong since the enactment of the National Security Law (NSL), which has led to the imprisonment of pro-democracy activists and a sharp decline in judicial independence and media freedom.

The subcommittee further condemned Beijing’s assimilationist policies in Tibet and Inner Mongolia, citing language restrictions, suppression of local identity, and pervasive surveillance.

Lawmakers issued a strong call to action, urging the expansion of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to include more high-ranking Chinese officials and state-linked entities responsible for these repressive measures.

They also stressed the urgency of addressing transnational repression, particularly targeting Chinese dissidents and activists living in Europe, framing it as a direct threat to EU sovereignty and democratic values.

While acknowledging the recent lifting of Chinese sanctions on some EU lawmakers as a positive development, parliamentarians emphasized the importance of maintaining vigilance in EU-China relations.

The meeting reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to global human rights leadership, with renewed calls for sustained pressure on Beijing to end its rights violations. As the international community watches closely, the session’s outcomes may influence the future direction of EU policy toward China.

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