" loading="" class="lazyload size-article_feature" data-sizes="auto" data-src="" src="https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Switzerland_Chinese_Dissident_95411.jpg?w=526"/>
FILE – Chinese language artist Ai Weiwei poses for the media throughout an “I'm a Hong Konger! Discussing Human Rights and Democracy” panel dialogue hosted by the faction of the German Liberals on the Reichstag constructing, dwelling of the German federal parliament, Bundestag, in Berlin, Germany on Sept. 29, 2020. Ai Weiwei, the dissident Chinese language architect behind the Beijing stadium internet hosting the Friday Feb. 4, 2022 opening ceremony of the Winter Video games has scoffed on the head of the U.N. well being company, saying China ought to award him “a gold medal” for not asking exhausting questions on its dealing with of the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photograph/Michael Sohn, File)
By JAMEY KEATEN
GENEVA (AP) — The dissident Chinese language architect behind the Beijing stadium that hosted Friday’s opening ceremony of the Winter Video games has scoffed on the head of the U.N. well being company, saying China ought to award him “a gold medal” for not asking exhausting questions on its dealing with of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ai Weiwei, probably China’s best-known dissident, aired criticism of Beijing’s human rights document and response to the pandemic, in an interview with The Related Press Friday, through which he additionally took purpose at World Well being Group Director-Basic Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Ai additionally accused governments of displaying an excessive amount of deference to China for enterprise or political pursuits.
He chuckled derisively after listening to that Tedros had posted a photograph on Twitter displaying himself in a red-and-white “Beijing 2022” winter monitor go well with and matching wool cap as he carried the Olympic flame through the torch relay in China.
“My God. He ought to get a gold medal from China as a result of he by no means requested the suitable query,” Ai stated in a video dialog. “The place is his conscience, this man? You recognize, all these people who find themselves imagined to defend the human well being and provides the suitable info, however by no means ask the suitable query and (are) all the time on the aspect of the propaganda.”
“They’re so ridiculous.”
Underneath Tedros, the WHO got here in for extreme criticism from then U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration in 2020 for its alleged missteps and extreme deference to, and reward for, China when the COVID-19 pandemic first appeared within the metropolis of Wuhan some two years in the past.
Tedros, in his tweet on Friday, wrote that he was “humbled” to take part within the torch relay.
“The Olympic Video games are about hope & I want for this flame to deliver hope to folks all over the world that we are able to finish #COVID19 collectively,” he wrote, whereas thanking the IOC president for the invitation.
Above all, Ai highlighted the Chinese language authorities’s poor human rights document, saying hopes that it might need improved since Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer time Video games have gone unfulfilled.
“I feel it’s actually, actually unbelievable after 14 years of this — this recreation, identical recreation — we flip to the identical nation, a rustic (that has) not developed an inch in the direction of higher human rights and the higher freedom of speech situations, however slightly develop into very smug,” Ai stated.
He stated the Chinese language Communist Get together’s authorities has brainwashed fellow residents of his homeland who “form of present their patriotic assist for the get together,” and stated any feedback that stray from that on social media like China’s Weibo “will disappear.”
Ai additionally took purpose on the Worldwide Olympic Committee, saying the Video games means “large enterprise for them.” He stated the IOC “by no means protected” human rights and has proven itself to “all the time defend … no matter China is doing — which is a pity.”
Ai didn’t give a go to different nations both — each these like Russia, which had been represented on the highest official ranges, and a few Western nations which boycotted the Video games or determined to remain away for causes like COVID-19 considerations. He faulted them for a double customary.
“They very, like, softly say, ‘we aren't formally attending.’ For me, that is sort of a joke,” AI stated. “So the West, the issue is, can't discover a higher technique, however to make use of that as like a smoke gun to say, ‘O.Okay., we’re defending these rules.’”
“However within the actuality, they aren't: They're enterprise as regular,” he added. “Many nations are hypocritical.”