New York: Criticising the International Olympic Committee for its "refusal" to dissociate itself from "abuses" linked to the preparation of Beijing Olympics, a leading human rights group has accused the IOC of flouting the spirit and the letter of the Olympic charter with its actions.

"The question isn't whether the IOC is a human rights organisation. It's whether the Olympic movement respects human rights. If it does, remaining silent as China's crackdown intensifies isn't acceptable," said Sophie Richardson, Asia advocacy director of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

In a statement released on the eve of 12-day IOC meeting in Beijing, the group urged the Ethics Commission of IOC to articulate human rights standards for host countries to end the "moral void in which it operates."

The IOC, the HRW said, has not spoken publicly about a wide variety of rights abuses in China, including the ongoing restrictions on foreign media that violate China s formal commitment made to win the right to host the Games, the jailing of two civil rights activists who criticized the Beijing Olympics, Yang Chunlin and Hu Jia, on charges of state subversion.

It also cited the decision to carry the Olympic torch relay through Tibet despite an ongoing crackdown on ethnic Tibetans, a military lockdown of the region, and a denial by the Chinese authorities to allow an international commissi on of inquiry to go to Tibet.
Source : PTI