US calls on China to end repression of Uyghurs and other minorities
- In Reports
- 02:44 PM, Aug 31, 2024
- Myind Staff
On the second anniversary of a United Nations report on human rights in Xinjiang, the US State Department has expressed disappointment with China’s ongoing actions against Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups.
The 2022 report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights found "serious human rights violations" in Xinjiang. In a statement posted on X, Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, said, "Two years since the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights released an assessment on human rights violations in Xinjiang, the US continues to urge the PRC (People's Republic of China) to take immediate action and end the ongoing repression of Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups."
The State Department's press release highlighted that the US is disappointed by China's rejection of the UN assessment and its refusal to follow the High Commissioner’s recommendations. These include releasing individuals arbitrarily detained, stopping intimidation and reprisals against Uyghurs and other minorities, and investigating claims of human rights abuses such as torture, sexual violence, forced labour, and forced medical treatments.
The US is deeply concerned about China's continued repression, which the UN report suggested "may constitute international crimes, particularly crimes against humanity." The State Department once again urged China to address these atrocities immediately.
Additionally, Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticised the Chinese government for its ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Maya Wang, associate China director at HRW, stated, "Beijing's brazen refusal to meaningfully address well-documented crimes in Xinjiang is no surprise, but shows the need for a robust follow-up by the UN human rights chief and UN member states. Contrary to the Chinese government's claims, its punitive campaign against millions of Uyghurs in Xinjiang continues to inflict great pain."
HRW reported that many Muslim minorities in Xinjiang remain wrongfully imprisoned, with their relatives both in China and abroad having limited or no contact with them. Families face uncertainty about the status of their loved ones, many of whom are detained, imprisoned, or forcibly disappeared.
Image source: Reuters
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