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The United States accused the Chinese government of turning Xinjiang into an “open-air prison” by expanding surveillance in the northwestern region in an attempt to repress the freedom of movement of Muslim Uighurs.
Daniel Nadel, a senior State Department official, said China had expanded its campaign against Uighurs beyond those buried in detention camps, as reported by the U.S. a report on religious freedom who harshly criticized Beijing’s treatment of the ethnic minority.
“At first there was a dramatic dependence on the fields. . . for re-education, for forced labor, “he said, adding that China is now engaged in an” ambitious effort to turn essentially the entire region into an open-air prison. “
The Biden administration has previously described the situation in Xinjiang, where more than a million Uyghurs have been detained in camps, such as “genocide”.
Nadel also said the United States was watching the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics amid calls for sponsors. boycott the event and that the Biden administration wanted to counter China’s intention to use the games as a platform. . . they report on their serious human rights violations ”.
While Washington condemned China in the religious freedom report, the US ambassador to the UN separately criticized Beijing at an event in Xinjiang which was sponsored by German and British missions.
“We will continue to stand and speak until the Chinese government stops its crimes against humanity and the genocide of Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
Barbara Woodward, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, urged China give Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, “free access” to Xinjiang.
But Kenneth Roth, head of Human Rights Watch, criticized Bachelet for not attending the virtual event, sponsored by 18 UN member states.
“I am just happy to be here. . . But I have a similar global mandate to defend human rights and I can think of nothing more important than to accompany you here today, “he said of the Geneva-based UN official.” it deterred travel, even to my laptop. “
More than a dozen countries rebuked China, prompting an angry rebuttal from UN diplomat Guo Jiakun, who said the U.S. used baseless allegations about Xinjiang as a “political tool to contain the China “.
Christoph Heusgen, the German ambassador, accused China of using “massive” threats to pressure other countries not to attend the United Nations event and echoed requests that Beijing provide UN access. in Xinjiang.
“If you have nothing to hide, why not finally grant unhindered access to the High Commissioner for Human Rights,” he said.
Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington was imposing sanctions on Yu Hui, a senior Chinese official, for alleged human rights abuses, including the arbitrary detention of members of Falun Gong, a Chinese religious movement that Beijing describes as an “evil cult.”
Carry on Demetri Sevastopulo on Twitter
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