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CPSR joins call to give Human Rights in China (HRIC) Accreditation to WSIS
CPSR has signed on to a petition initiated by WSIS civil society Human Rights Caucus in mid-February, after they learned that HRIC had been denied accreditation for the second time, because of objections from China.
On February 18, 2005, The civil society organizations present in Geneva
for PrepCom2 of the second phase of the World Summit on the Information
Society (WSIS) learnt that Human Rights in China (HRIC) was not on the
list of NGOs recommended for accreditation, due to concerns expressed
by the Mission of the People's Republic of China. This is the second
time HRIC was not put forward for WSIS accreditation.As the petition states, "HRIC is an international monitoring and advocacy non-governmental organization based in New York and Hong Kong. Founded in March 1989 by Chinese scientists and scholars, it conducts research, education and outreach programs to promote universally recognized human rights and advance the institutional protection of these rights in the People's Republic of China.
"A member of the WSIS civil society human rights caucus, HRIC has 15-year record of working constructively in areas relevant to WSIS. HRIC is an active and constructive contributor to multilateral and bilateral processes, including the WTO, the Berne Process, and the EU-China Dialogue Human Rights Seminars. HRIC has been present in the WSIS process, since its first phase and including in this PrepCom2, as an affiliate NGO of the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH). Its participation and contributions have been highly appreciated by governments and civil society."
The civil society organizations signing the petition warn that "the exclusion of an independent and critical voice such as HRIC raises serious concerns about the inclusiveness, the transparency and the legitimacy of the WSIS process."
HRIC will apply again for accreditation to PrepCom3 of WSIS second phase, and we joined the other organizations in expressing our "support to HRIC and call to ensure that the future review of HRIC and any NGO accreditation application be fairly conducted and not be subject to a politicized intervention."
See the petition and its signatories.
Human Rights in China web site
Working List of the WSIS Human Rights Caucus
Web site
The petition and signatures are being sent to Mr Geiger, head of WSIS executive secretariat, as well as to Ambassador Karklins (president of the WSIS 2nd phase process), and heads of government delegations, including China. They are also being widely distributed.
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