Chinese authorities have put image over substance by continuing to persecute and punish activists and journalists during the Olympics.

That's one of Amnesty International's conclusions now the Games are over; another is that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has tarnished the Olympics' human rights legacy by ignoring the abuses.

Chinese authorities and the IOC had a chance to show improvements to human rights, but in most respects they failed to deliver. Forced evictions, detention of activists and restrictions on journalists should not be allowed to blight another Olympics.

As the IOC president Jacques Rogge declares the Games "truly exceptional", we say the organisation should be:

  • Adding human rights to existing pillars – of sports, culture and environment – of the Olympics.

  • Building solid and measurable human rights impact indicators into all future Olympics bid processes and host city contracts.

And we want Chinese authorities to:

  • Extend the unblocking of websites out across the board.

  • Make permanent the temporary regulations, introduced last January, that freed up regulations imposed on foreign journalists working in China.

See our media release for more info.

And let us know what you think of our recommendations?