The International Council of Jurists (ICJ) and All India Bar Association have moved the United Nations Human Rights Council seeking compensation from China for “surreptitiously developing a biological weapon capable of mass destruction.“
Prior Facts:
On December 31 of last year, Chinese authorities alerted the World Health Organization of an outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus causing severe illness, which was subsequently named SARS-CoV-2. As of April 04, 2020, nearly 1,133,955 COVID-19 cases have been documented, although many more mild cases have likely gone undiagnosed. The virus has killed over 60,402 people.
Key Features:
- The complaint was penned by senior advocate Adish C. Aggarwala, the Chairperson of All India Bar Association and President of International Council of Jurists, in the backdrop of the spread of deadly coronavirus, which has claimed thousands of lives across the world.
- He stated in the complaint that, “It is humbly prayed that the UNHRC may be pleased to enquire and direct China and to adequately compensate international community and member states, particularly India, for surreptitiously developing a biological weapon capable of mass destruction of mankind”.
- Aggarwala also pointed out the effects of the pandemic on the Indian economy, the imbalance in demand and supply of commodities and the migration of marginalized people.
- He demanded remuneration from China for inflicting serious physical, psychological, economic and social harm on the world.
- The complaint added that “The economic activity of the country is put on hold, in turn causing a huge dent on the local economy of the country as well as in general, the global economy”.
- The complaint claimed that China meticulously hatched a conspiracy to spread the coronavirus in the world and violated provisions of International Health Regulations (IHR), International Human Rights and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Laws and UDHR clauses.
- The complaint pointed out that, “It remains a mystery as to how the virus has not spread to all provinces of China but at the same time, has spread to all countries in the world. The speculation only increases the likelihood of the COIVD-19 being a carefully assembled biological weapon, aimed at crippling major countries in the world leaving only China as the beneficiary.”
- The complainant claimed that the virus was developed in the Wuhan Virology Lab from where it was carefully deployed to affect a minuscule 0.001% of the Chinese population.
- He said that the neighbouring country deployed the coronavirus virus in a bid to control the economy of the world by buying up stocks from countries that are on the brink of economic collapse.
- He said that “The Chinese government had deliberately censored information and hid the early warnings given by Li Wenliang, who was reprimanded and initially punished by local authorities in China.”
- He added that “The government also did not sufficiently contain and curb the travel of infected persons from further contaminating the world.”
Edited by J. Madonna Jephi
Approved & Published – Sakshi Raje
Reference:
- Complaint By Dr. Adish C Aggarwala, Senior Advocate, President, International Council Of Jurists And Chairman, All India Bar Association To The United Nations Human Rights Council, Geneva, To, The Hon’ble President and Members, United Nations Human Rights Council, Complaint Procedure Unit, Human Rights Council Branch, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations Office at Geneva CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland on April 03, 2020.
