ICJ seeks UNHRC to impose 'exemplary damages' on China for spreading coronavirus

The London-based International Council of Jurists has urged the UN Human Rights Council to make China pay "exemplary damages" for its "grave offences against humanity", alleging the coronavirus pandemic is primarily a conspiracy of Beijing to catapult itself as a superpower.

"Chinese government's inaction in arresting the spread of the virus has resulted in recession across the world and loss of trillions of dollars and rendered jobless to millions of workers in India and rest of the world," ICJ President Adish C Aggarwala said.

It remains a mystery as to how the virus has not spread in all provinces of China but at the same time, has spread to all countries in the world, he said.

He urged the Geneva-based human rights body's intervention to hold China, its army and the Wuhan-based land responsible for the spread of the virus, which has killed over 50,000 people globally and brought the world to a grinding halt.

Aggarwala sought direction from the UNHRC to China to pay "exemplary damages to the entire world and in particular to India" for spreading the disease.

"This pandemic declared by the WHO is primarily due to conspiracy of Chinese government aimed at catapulting itself to the position of a superpower of the World and undermining other countries through biological warfare and gross negligence and incompetence of Chinese government and their authorities to alert the WHO and rest of the world," Aggarwala said in a statement.

He also accused China of violating the UN Charters and Guidelines in responding to the pandemic.

"The Chinese government misled the WHO to believe that COVID 19 is not a pandemic warranting its interference," he said, adding that this resulted in thousands of deaths.

"Lack of transparency in dissemination of information relating to the spread of this virus and continued misleading statements had resulted in violation of human rights of the entire global community warranting immediate interference and prompt action against China as mandated under Article 25 (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," he said.

The purpose of developing such a potent and deadly virus remains a secret, he alleged.

Aggarwala sought direction from the UNHRC to China to pay "exemplary damages to the entire world and in particular to India" for its negligence.

The ICJ is a body of jurists from different countries involved in research and has been holding conferences and seminars on a wide range of subjects having international and domestic significance, in matters of human rights, constitutional duties and others, it said.

WATCH | Bollywood Singer Kanika Kapoor tests negative in fifth covid-19 test