By Tsering Dhundup
DHARAMSHALA, July 11: The Court of the Citizens of the World (CCW), a quasi-judicial organization has officially commenced the ‘China Tribunal’, which is currently conducting a trial hearing against Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Hague, Netherlands.
The trial, scheduled to take place from July 8th to 12th, brings 12 counts of charges against Xi Jinping, including crimes of aggression, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Taiwan, Tibet, and East Turkistan (Ch: Xinjiang).
During the court proceeding testimonies of victims of Chinese persecution were heard. Among the notable testimonies were those from several Tibetan victims, including former political prisoners Dhundup Wangchen, Golok Jigme, and Tenpa Dargyal, who recounted their experiences under Chinese rule. Member of Tibetan Parliament in exile, Lhagyari Namgyal Dolkar, Former Department of Information and International Relations secretary, Dadon Sherling and Former Representative of the Dalai Lama to North America Kelsang Dorjee “Kaydor” Aukatsang took part in the proceedings.
The charges against Xi Jinping encompass a range of severe accusations. The tribunal is examining evidence of crimes of aggression against Taiwan and neighbouring states, the suppression of the self-determination of the Taiwanese people, crimes against humanity in Tibet, and both crimes against humanity and genocide against the Uyghur population in East Turkistan.
The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oleksandra Matviichuk addressed the opening of the Court session with a speech delivered personally for the CCW China Tribunal. She stated “If we want to fight for justice, we have to fight for justice globally. And that is why it’s so important to stop human suffering and human rights violations in China, because countries which prosecute their civil society, jail tech activists, kill journalists, and disperse peaceful demonstrations, such a country pose a threat, not only to their citizens but also to the entire world because peace and human rights are inextricably linked”.
The Court of the Citizens of the World (CCW), known as a People’s Tribunal, aims to bridge gaps in access to international justice by holding political and military leaders accountable for violations of international law. It considers allegations based on documentary and oral evidence presented in formal proceedings. The China Tribunal seeks to address accusations against Xi Jinping, offering a platform for victims to share their experiences and for the world to scrutinise the alleged crimes.
