NEW YORK, March 7 (UPI) -- China's lawmakers should strengthen human rights protection, advocacy group Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.
"Chinese leaders have committed themselves to promoting social justice, ensuring freedom of expression, and building the rule of law, but only concrete reforms will bring real change," said Sophie Richardson, the group's deputy Asia director.
Some of the issues addressed included calling upon the government to ratify the international covenant on civil and political rights; allowing non-governmental organizations to register freely; narrowing the scope of the application for state secret laws; and freeing up the Internet and media.
"If the congress adopts these reforms, it will show that China deserves to be on the U.N. Human Rights Council, and to host the Olympics," Richardson said.
