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Article by Aaron Rhodes in EPOCH TIMES While many once believed access to the Internet would usher in universal human rights and democracy, in the hands of China and other tyrannical governments it has become an extraordinary instrument of repression and thought-control. While countless millions (indeed, 40% of the world’s population) have come to rely on the Internet as a primary source of information, censorship an

Article on China in Perspective By Aaron Rhodes China’s human rights record has deteriorated under the rule of President Xi Jinping. The persecution of religious minorities and human rights activists has worsened. The ability of Chinese to speak and associate freely has been further restricted. China has even more aggressively rejected international concerns about such problems, with official sources denying the

Is the right to peaceful protest a fundamental human right? In Europe the answer seems to depend on whom you protest against. The Freedom Rights Project's Aaron Rhodes and Jacob Mchangama exam the Chinese state visits to several European countries, where diplomatic sensitivities were prioritized at the cost of the rights of pro-Tibetan peaceful protesters.

The report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has not been received well by states such as China, Russia and Venezuela, with allegations that human rights activists can "split societies apart and sabotage the social order". The Freedom RIghts Projects' Aaron Rhodes blogs from Geneva, at the UN Human Rights Council's 25th regular session.

An informal group of states that forthrightly reject criticisms of their denial of basic freedoms, while claiming to respect human rights is becoming more aggressive, strategic and mutually supportive. With the near certain election of Cuba, China, Russia and Saudi Arabia to the UN Human Rights Council during the 68th General Assembly, the trend will intensify.

When China's human rights record was examined by the UN Human Rights Council as part of the Universal Periodic Review on 22 October 2013, 141 countries made statements. Of those, only 25 voiced concerns. The rest applauded China's approach to human rights, which blatantly rejects the concept of individual civil and political liberties.

In the German Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Freedom Rights Project's Aaron Rhodes writes that China has emerged as a leading obstacle to respect for fundamental human rights at the international level, warding off criticism of itself, defending other human rights violating states, and attempting to weaken the international human rights system using its vast economic leverage.

Freedom Rights Project’s Aaron Rhodes on how disparagement of human rights and democracy by Chinese rulers betrays their fear of “Western” ideas. Read it in the Washington Times here.