Western push on China, Russia at UN rights body faces test

GENEVA (AP) — Western countries are leading a simultaneous push at the U.N.’s top human rights body to scrutinize human rights in two of the world’s most influential countries: China and Russia. The West wants to increase the attention given to allegations of abuses in China’s western Xinjiang region and the Russian government’s crackdown on dissent and protest against its war in Ukraine.

Diplomats and rights advocates acknowledge that going after the two powers at the same Human Rights Council meeting carries risks and challenges, and say the outcome of votes on the issues by the end of the council’s session on Oct. 7 is likely to resonate widely.

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