Dhe United Nations has denounced “serious human rights violations” in China’s Xinjiang region and sees possible “crimes against humanity”. According to a report by outgoing UN Human Rights Commissioner Michelle Bachelet on the situation of the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, published on Thursday night, there are “credible” allegations of torture. The document was released just minutes before Bachelet’s term ended at midnight.
“Allegations of patterns of torture or ill-treatment, including forced medical treatment and poor prison conditions, are credible,” the report said. The same applies to allegations of sexual violence. The “extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention” of Uyghurs and members of other majority Muslim groups could also constitute “international crimes, particularly crimes against humanity.”
For years, the communist leadership in Beijing has been accused of systematically suppressing the Uyghur population and other Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang region. Human rights activists have been frustrated by the report’s delay — Bachelet had said almost a year ago her office was finalizing the report.
Last week, she spoke of “enormous pressure” from all sides regarding the announced publication of the document. On the occasion of the publication of the report, the former Chilean President now declared that seeking dialogue with Beijing does not mean “turning a blind eye”.
China had resisted publication of the human rights report. A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday called the report a “farce orchestrated by the US and a small number of Western powers.” China also regularly denies allegations of human rights violations in Xinjiang.