Activists say despite Beijing's claims of improvements, dissenters, minorities and the disabled still face state brutality

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

China told a United Nations review of its human rights record that it had made progress, but was challenged over its curbs on free speech and treatment of ethnic minorities, activists and dissidents, at the session in Geneva on Tuesday.

The UN human rights council reviews each nation's record once every four years. China's case has come under greater scrutiny because it is seeking a seat on the 47-member council in November and because the hearing comes amid a wide-ranging crackdown on civil society.

Other countries urged it to address issues ranging from the detention of human rights defenders to the treatment of people with disabilities.

Last week UN rights experts expressed concern at reports that Chinese activists had suffered reprisals for seeking to participate in the review and the European Union called on China to clarify the whereabouts of an activist who had pressed for the rights of ordinary citizens to contribute.

Lady Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief, expressed deep concern at the disappearance of Cao Shunli, who has not been seen since she was questioned by police at Beijing airport on 14 September, en route to a human rights training session in Geneva.

Ye Shiwei, senior programme officer at Human Rights in China, said the case of Cao – a former civil servant – was emblematic of a growing community of activists using more systematic and mature strategies to promote citizens' rights and demand accountability and law reforms.

"Since early this year, the government has detained scores of activists calling for asset transparency and [addressing] other human rights issues.

"Defenders are continuing to engage in their rights to advocacy and coming to the aid of fellow defenders – creating legal support groups, questioning the police about the legal basis of detentions and filing lawsuits against authorities responsible for these arbitrary detentions," he said.

He noted that China had taken some positive steps in the last four years, including reducing the scope of the death penalty somewhat and ratifying the convention on the rights of people with disabilities.

Wu Hailong, a special envoy for China's foreign ministry, told the hearing that since the 2009 review, the country had reduced poverty and deepened reforms of the judicial systems and protections for ethnic minority groups.

"We are soberly aware that China still faces many difficulties and challenges in promoting and protecting human rights," he said, citing unbalanced development and insufficient rights awareness among law enforcement officials.

Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, said: "The government's performance relies on incredibly broad generalisations of what in theory ought to happen according to Chinese law, with absolutely no engagement with the facts of what happens, but also denials, platitudes and misleading responses or dishonest representations."

She said she was struck by the diversity of countries expressing concerns this time, but added that they needed to be consistent in sending Beijing clear messages on rights, citing George Osborne's visit to China last week.

"I was certainly relieved that the UK delegation this morning was talking about the need to abolish the death penalty rather than the need to export Downton Abbey," Richardson said.

"There's a big problem when very senior officials of governments like the UK make these incredibly weak remarks and then a week later deliver very robust interventions at the human rights council; it allows Beijing to choose which line it prefers."

Four protesters from Students for a Free Tibet were held by UN security after scaling scaffolding at the Palais des Nations, where the meeting was held, to unfurl a banner reading: "China fails human rights in Tibet – UN stand up for Tibet".