China's anti-graft drive helps protect human rights

BEIJING -- Human rights experts from China and abroad believe that China's sweeping anti-corruption campaign has contributed to the protection of human rights.

The two-day Beijing Forum on Human Rights opened Wednesday as more than 100 officials and experts from 30 countries and regions meet to discuss progress in human rights protection in China.

The concepts of corruption and human rights seem unrelated, but the two are closely connected, said Peru's vice minister of Justice and Human Rights Henry Jose Avila.

"Corruption could limit or in other cases deny the exercise of human rights, especially the most vulnerable groups of society," he said. "Therefore, the anti-corruption fight is part of the government's efforts to safeguarding human rights."

The view was shared by Chinese scholars. Professor Li Yunlong with the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China said corruption is the abuse of power to seek personal gain with the result of violating human rights.

When a judge accepts a bribe, judicial justice could be harmed, thereby violating the right to fair trial, Li said, adding the anti-graft drive contributes to human rights protection.

"The Chinese government plays a dominaant role in state administration and corruption will have huge impact on the public. Therefore, the anti-graft drive has a profound significance in protecting human rights," said Chang Jian, deputy director of the human rights study center at Nankai University.

The forum is co-organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies, the largest human rights academic group in China, and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, a major civil group.

The annual event was first held in 2008 and has grown to be a key platform for human rights exchanges among different countries, ethnicities and cultures.