Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 February 2005
179 Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised concerns with the Chinese authorities over the arrest of a person (details supplied); and if such actions on the part of the Chinese authorities fall into the category of understandable human rights violations in the name of national cohesion. [2844/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of a media report that Mr. Zhao Xin was arrested on 21 January 2005. According to the report, Mr. Zhao's application to hold a parade "to protest against the authority's forcefully depriving the citizens of their rights to commemorate Zhao Ziyang, the former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party" was rejected. While no further information is yet available on the case, I assure the Deputy that it will be followed up through the appropriate channels. As I said in response to a question from the Deputy last week, the universal nature of international human rights standards means that national particularities, such as history and cultural tradition, are not an excuse for non-compliance with international human rights obligations.
