First Minister Alex Salmond and his Government must speak out strongly against human rights abuses in Tibet and elsewhere in China as Scotland pursues further cultural and economic links with the country, Amnesty International said today.

The human rights organisation said that remaining silent would risk giving "tacit endorsement" to abuses being committed in the run-up to the Olympic Games.

Amnesty today launched a new report entitled China: The Olympics countdown, which portrays a human rights situation that is getting worse, not better.

Amnesty International Scottish director John Watson said: "The muzzle on protesters and activists, in Tibet, Beijing and throughout China, is getting tighter and tighter as the Olympics get closer.

"With so many internal critics silenced, responsibility lies with the international community and the Olympics movement to pressure the Chinese authorities to honour promises of human rights reform.

"Amnesty would encourage the Scottish Government to use their links to China to highlight human rights abuses and the urgent need to reform. Unless the international community and the International Olympic Committee speak out strongly and in public, they risk giving tacit endorsement to China’s repressive policies."

One of the activists highlighted in the report, Chen Guangcheng, is imprisoned in the Shandong region of China, which Scotland established a co-operation agreement with in 2006.

Chen had been pursuing legal challenges to the campaign of forced abortions and sterilisations in Shandong on behalf of local women.

Read the report in full 

Related news items:

• "Non" to French referendum on EU treaty
• Alex Salmond wins First Minister vote
• Americans come for lesson in Scottish democracy
• Appointments made to Accounts Commission
• BBC Scotland announces job cuts