China commits ‘serious human rights violations’ in Xinjiang — UN

The UN has accused China of committing “serious human rights violations” after investigating allegations of abuse in 

Xinjiang province.

In a 48-page-report released Wednesday, the UN human rights office documented what it described as the “arbitrary and 

discriminatory detention” of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups in China’s northwestern region.

UN said it found “credible evidence” of torture possibly amounting to “crimes against humanity.”

There are about 12 million Uyghurs, mostly Muslims, living in Xinjiang. The UN said non-Muslim members may have also been 

affected by the issues in the report.

“Allegations of patterns of torture or ill-treatment, including forced medical treatment and adverse conditions of 

detention, are credible, as are allegations of individual incidents of sexual and gender-based violence.

“Credible indications of violations of reproductive rights through the coercive enforcement of family planning policies 

since 2017.

“Similarly, there are indications that labour and employment schemes for purported purposes of poverty alleviation and 

prevention of ‘extremism’… may involve elements of coercion and discrimination on religious and ethnic grounds.”

Human rights groups have been sounding the alarm about the happenings in the north-western Chinese province for years, 

alleging that more than one million Uyghurs had been detained against their will in a large network of what the state 

calls “re-education camps.”

Meanwhile, Beijing has always denied any wrongdoing.

The UN’s report recommended that China immediately take steps to release “all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their 

liberty.”

BBC reports that China has already rejected the findings, with foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin telling reporters 

the “so-called suggestions were pieced together based on disinformation to serve political objectives.”

The US and lawmakers in several other countries have previously denounced China’s actions in Xinjiang as a genocide, but 

the UN stopped short of making the accusation.

China has always insisted that Uyghur militants are waging a violent campaign for an independent state, but it is accused 

of exaggerating the threat in order to justify repression of the Uyghurs.

Beijing’s delegation to the UN human rights council in Geneva on Thursday rejected the findings of the report, which it 

said “smeared and slandered China” and interfered in the country’s internal affairs. 

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