11 March 2010 - 17H30  

China rights record worsening in areas: US
Chinese troops train in Urumqi, in the northwestern region of Xinjiang in September 2009. China's human rights record was poor last year and worsened as authorities increased harassment of activists and repression in theXinjiang region, the US State Department said
Chinese troops train in Urumqi, in the northwestern region of Xinjiang in September 2009. China's human rights record was poor last year and worsened as authorities increased harassment of activists and repression in theXinjiang region, the US State Department said

AFP - China's human rights record was poor last year and worsened as authorities increased harassment of activists and repression in the Xinjiang region, the US State Department said Thursday.

"The government's human rights record remained poor and worsened in some areas," the annual report by the State Department said.

It said Beijing "increased the severe cultural and religious repression" of ethnic minorities" in Xinjiang, the western region that last year saw deadly clashes between China's Han majority and the local Uighur people.

Around China, "the detention and harassment of human rights activists increased, and public interest lawyers and law firms that took on cases deemed sensitive by the government faced harassment, disbarment and closure," it added.

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