Human rights groups press Airbnb to drop Beijing Olympics sponsorship

A coalition of over 150 human rights groups wrote an open letter to Airbnb asking them to drop their sponsorship for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games due to human rights abuses in the country.

The letter says Airbnb is not honoring its statement it made in 2019 when they announced the sponsorship. At the time, Airbnb said that the games would be “accessible” and a place “where anyone can belong.”

“With over 2 million Uyghurs arbitrarily detained in internment camps, with pro-democracy activists being rounded up en masse in Hong Kong, and with Tibet now listed as the least free place in the world, alongside Syria, it is hard to imagine how this will be the case,” the letter states.

The letter focuses on the rights of Uyghur Muslims and Tibetans, saying they will “be unable to freely travel to watch the 2022 Winter Games.”

China is clashing with the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and Canada over their treatment of Uyghur Muslims. All of those nations have placed sanctions on the country.

Some countries are beginning to call the treatment of the Uyghurs a genocide. However, China denies all accusations and says the minority group is just in vocational centers.

Airbnb previously canceled all Washington, D.C., reservations before President Biden’s inauguration due to concerns there could be violence after the Capitol riot.

“We urge you to use your influence with the IOC to press for the Games to be moved and if this doesn’t happen to immediately remove your support, or risk being tainted by the association,” the letter stated.

The Hill has reached out to Airbnb for comment.