Uganda, Feb. 24 -- China's human rights record was the focus of intense scrutiny Tuesday by the U.N. Human Rights Council, where Beijing faced criticism from Western democratic societies over its treatment of Uyghurs, Tibetans and dissidents in Hong Kong.

Tuesday's meeting marked the fourth time that China's rights record has been examined by the council's Universal Periodic Review procedure and the first time since former High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet issued a blistering report on China's treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China's western Xinjiang region.

The report, which Bachelet released just minutes before she left her post as high commissioner on September 1, 2022, accuses China of having commi...