The United Nations (UN) urged China on Monday to respect the country's right to peaceful demonstrations. As Beijing attempts to suppress a statewide series of rallies and demonstrations, the UN has requested the Chinese authorities not to jail anyone just for participating in peaceful activism, news agency AFP reported.
"We call on the authorities to respond to protests in line with international human rights laws and standards. No one should be arbitrarily detained for peacefully expressing their opinions," said UN Human Rights Office spokesman Jeremy Laurence, AFP reported.
Even the United States acknowledged earlier in the day that China's zero-Covid policy is unlikely to succeed and emphasised that everyone has the right to peacefully demonstrate wherever in the world.
Speaking with PTI, White House National Security Council spokesperson stated: "We've said that zero-COVID is not a policy we are pursuing here in the United States. And as we have said, we think it's going to be very difficult for the People's Republic of China to be able to contain this virus through their zero-COVID strategy."
The protests in China intensified with hundreds of people taking to the streets against the country's zero-Covid policy. The demonstrators demand the lifting of the lockdown and release of arrested people. Demonstrations that have erupted across the cities have become the biggest test for President Xi Jinping since he secured a historic third term in power.
A deadly fire incident in Urumqi last week became the fresh catalyst for public anger with many blaming Covid lockdowns for hampering rescue efforts. Hundreds of protesters, mostly young people gathered near the Liangma canal to mourn for the Urumqi fire victims, light candles, play music, and hold up blank sheets of paper.
Zero Covid Policy As China Logs Over 40,000 Daily Infections
The protest witnessed the crowd singing the national anthem and listening to speeches, while on the other side of the canal bank, a line of police cars waited.
Cars honked in support as people remained in the area until the early hours, chanting and waving blank sheets of paper symbolising censorship.
Authorities blocked the road to stop cars passing, and around 100 plainclothes and police officers arrived on the scene.
Meanwhile, China reported a fifth straight daily record of 40,347 new COVID-19 infections on November 27. Among these, 3,822 were symptomatic and 36,525 were asymptomatic, the National Health Commission informed on Monday.
That country logged 39,791 new cases a day earlier including 3,709 symptomatic and 36,082 asymptomatic infections.
(With Inputs From Agencies)