Amnesty criticizes Reinfeldt
Human rights organization Amnesty International has criticized Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt for failing to bring up specific human rights violations with foreign leaders.
Following his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao last week, Reinfeldt said that he thought it was "wrong to take up individual cases at this level". He also added that he did not carry around files on particular cases when meeting leaders from other countries.
"We at Amnesty were very upset and surprised when we heard that statement," press secretary Elisabeth Löfgren told Sveriges Radio.
While Reinfeldt did bring up China's poor human rights record, he did not mention any individual cases of Chinese state suppression of critical voices.
"It sends out a signal that we're not going to do much arguing, that we take a compliant approach towards this regime.
"This entails that we are giving them the all-clear to continue imprisoning people and that the Swedish government does not intend to make a fuss," said Löfgren.
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Following his meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao last week, Reinfeldt said that he thought it was "wrong to take up individual cases at this level". He also added that he did not carry around files on particular cases when meeting leaders from other countries.
"We at Amnesty were very upset and surprised when we heard that statement," press secretary Elisabeth Löfgren told Sveriges Radio.
While Reinfeldt did bring up China's poor human rights record, he did not mention any individual cases of Chinese state suppression of critical voices.
"It sends out a signal that we're not going to do much arguing, that we take a compliant approach towards this regime.
"This entails that we are giving them the all-clear to continue imprisoning people and that the Swedish government does not intend to make a fuss," said Löfgren.
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