China accused a United Nations human rights investigator on Thursday of overstepping his mandate and interfering with China's "judicial sovereignty" by raising the case of a high-profile activist detained after they met. Philip Alston, U.N. special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, made an official mission to China last August and included a plea for the release of lawyer Jiang Tianyong in his report to the U.N. Human Rights Council at a two-day debate.
Chinese diplomat Jiang Yingfeng told the Geneva forum that Alston's report was "objective and fair" but also rebuked him. "The special rapporteur referenced certain human rights defenders in his report and in so doing he has overstepped his mandate and meddled with China's judicial sovereignty," Jiang said.
