Groups call for boycott of Beijing Olympics over China's human rights record | DW News

Organizers of the Beijing Winter Olympic say that protecting the Games from the coronavirus
is their 'biggest challenge.'
The warning came at a news conference to mark a hundred days until the event kicks off. Strict safety measures are due to be put in place for the Games, that are set to make Beijing the first city in Olympic history to host both the summer and winter games.
But another challenge looms, with international calls for a boycott over China's human rights records. At home, authorities appear to be stifling any criticism. (We'll have more on that from our correspondent later, but first this report).
The Olympic flame has arrived and been lit in China and the Games venues are being tested.
In 100 days' time, events like these will be happening for real at Beijing 2022. And as far as the IOC and its president Thomas Bach are concerned – in public at least – everything is just fine.
But this will be a Winter Olympic experience like no other. The coronavirus will affect how the Games are run. Among the raft of restrictions already announced, there'll be no foreign spectators in attendance, while all participants will be tested daily in a closed bubble scenario.
And then there's China's human rights record. Protesters already disrupted the torch lighting ceremony in Greece. Though it's unlikely scenes such as this will be allowed to happen in Beijing.
Human rights groups and the United States accuse China of genocide against the Uyghurs, a Muslim minority group. They believe China has detained more than one million Uyghurs in what China maintains are "re-education camps."
Rights groups are calling for a boycott of the Games. The IOC, however, says it's an apolitical organization.
But no matter how much the IOC wants to smooth over its Games' rough edges, questions over China's suitability as host won't be going away anytime soon.


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