"Because of the Olympic Games, repression against activists increased instead of diminishing": it was today’s declaration by Irene Khan, secretary general of Amnesty International who, during the launch of a new Report of the Association, asked Chinese authorities to put immediate end to the repressive measure against defenders of human rights in Beijing and in other areas of the country, and against the people taking part in demonstrations in Tibet and in nearby regions. With reference to pre-Olympic "cleansing", for which "authorities reduced to silence and imprisoned human right activists", Khan commented: "These behaviours make us doubt about the seriousness of the Chinese commitment to improve the human right situation with the approaching of Olympic Games. Until now, the Olympic Games have not been a catalyst for reforms. Unless urgent measures are adopted to change the current situation, it is more and more unlikely that the Olympic Games may leave a positive heritage. Just four months before the opening of Beijing 2008, the International Olympic Committee and world leaders should speak clearly". (To be continued)
