Former UN rights officer accuses Nobel laureate Pillay of handing dissident names to China during her tenure

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Update (October 15, 2026): The World Uyghur Congress (WUC) issued a statement on October 13 expressing 'serious concerns' over the Norwegian Nobel Committee's decision to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to Navi Pillay (reported by ANI). The statement says that during Pillay's tenure as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (2008-2014), the NGO liaison office under her leadership disclosed the names of Uyghur and other Chinese human rights defenders, along with information about their participation in the UN Human Rights Council, to the Chinese government without their consent, despite the potential risks to the individuals and their families. Among those affected was former WUC president Dolkun Isa, who faced significant obstacles in obtaining accreditation and access to the Human Rights Council in 2012-2013. Isa described it as 'a profound betrayal of trust by an institution that should have protected us'. WUC President Turgunjan Alawdun acknowledged Pillay's contributions to human rights but said she had 'failed to effectively protect human rights defenders', calling the disclosure by an office she led 'a serious breach of trust'. The statement also highlighted the continuing threat of transnational repression faced by Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, other Chinese dissidents and diaspora communities. This site's standing position applies: this record reports the 'allegations and statements' themselves, with all conclusions attributed to the stating parties (the WUC / ANI reporting); this site does not adjudicate their truth. As of publication, no response from Pillay or the UN to the WUC statement has been seen. This record remains graded 'under ongoing verification'. [5]

On Friday, October 9, 2026, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that South African jurist and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay would receive the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize 'for her efforts to promote peace and international law.' Pillay, 85, previously served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court, and led the UN human rights office from September 2008 to August 2014. [4][5]

On the same day, UN Watch issued a statement in Geneva publishing the public accusations of Emma Reilly. Reilly, a human-rights lawyer who worked under Pillay, alleged that during Pillay's tenure as High Commissioner, her office handed dissidents' names to Chinese authorities despite warnings about the danger, and held Pillay responsible for the abuses inflicted on Uyghurs. Reilly said she first reported the practice internally as early as 2012, that staff directly involved in handing over names were later promoted, and that she herself faced retaliation and was ultimately dismissed in 2021 for speaking out. [1][3]

On scale, Reilly alleged that 'Navi Pillay oversaw the communication of names of over 50 dissidents to China.' She claimed that relatives of the named dissidents testified under oath in court that their family members were intimidated, arbitrarily detained, tortured, disappeared, or killed in camps. Following the Nobel announcement, Reilly also published what she described as internal correspondence documenting disclosures made during Pillay's leadership. [1][3]

UN Watch executive director Hillel Neuer condemned the Nobel Committee's decision the same day, saying the committee owed an explanation 'to the dissidents whose names were handed to China,' and recalled that Pillay declined to attend the 2010 Nobel ceremony honoring imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. UN Watch also restated its 2011 study finding that Pillay, as High Commissioner, voiced no concern about abuses in Cuba, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and other countries rated 'Not Free.' [1]

Dolkun Isa, president of the Uyghur Center for Democracy & Human Rights, also issued a statement. He said he later learned that the Pillay-led office had shared information about his participation, and that of other human rights defenders, with the Chinese government without their consent. He called it 'a profound betrayal of trust by an institution that should have protected us' and demanded a full and transparent accounting: why the information was shared, who authorized it, and why those entrusted with their protection failed. [2]

As of publication, neither Pillay nor the UN has responded to this new round of allegations (October 9, 2026). For context, past reporting on a Devex investigation noted the UN's position at the time: that the individuals had already publicly disclosed their plans to attend and that precautions had been taken to protect them — a position Reilly has continued to dispute. The truth of the allegations remains under verification, and this site will continue to record the responses of all parties. [1]