Potential Crimes Against Humanity: UN Human Rights Report On China's Uighurs Detention In Xinjiang

The United Nations Human Rights office released its latest report on Wednesday stating China’s detention of Uighurs may be listed as potential “crimes against humanity”. Such violations also include Muslim ethnic minorities from the northwestern region of Xinjiang who have been deprived of their liberty. The Uighurs are mostly Muslim Turkic who have an entirely different culture, language and religion from that of China’s Han ethnic group.

The report called on China to immediately release all individuals arbitrarily deprived of their freedom and to do a full review of its laws on domestic security as well as a repeal of all its discriminatory laws. The long-delayed report documented an overall assessment that found “serious human rights violations” in the Xinjiang region. It also pointed out credible allegations of torture, ill-treatment, forced medical treatments, and adverse conditions of detention.

It was in 2018 when the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination revealed a network of detention centers across Xinjian that are said to have held nearly one million captives. At the time, High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet ordered “unfettered” access to the region to conduct a proper assessment of the situation, AP News reported. The human rights chief was allowed entry into China last May. Bachelet’s visit drew much criticism from human rights groups as it was said to have been highly choreographed.

The report had been shelved for several months, with human rights groups accusing Bachelet of being soft on Beijing. China reportedly pressured her office not to publish the report despite other countries urging its immediate release. The 45-page report was published minutes before High Commissioner’s term ended this week.

In response, China released a 122-page document where it denounced the UN findings, calling it “disinformation” and fabricated lies by anti-China forces. Initially, Beijing denied such camps even existed but later admitted these were actual vocational skills training centers that were put up to address extremism. Deputy Director of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department Zhao Lijian said the report was purely a stunt that was orchestrated by the U.S. along with other Western countries. On the other hand, leaked testimonies from Uighurs revealed they have faced abuses from forced sterilization to being forced to eat pork.