“The extent of the arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghurs and members of other predominantly Muslim groups (…) may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity”affirms the report in its conclusions.
It warns that “serious human rights abuses have been committed in XUAR (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) in the context of the implementation of government counter-terrorism and counter-extremism strategies.”
It cites in particular concern about the treatment of people detained in China’s so-called “Vocational Training and Education Centers”.
“Reports of patterns of torture or ill-treatment, including forced medical treatment and adverse detention conditions, are credible, as are reports of individual incidents of sexual and gender-based violence,” the report states.
Arbitrary arrests
Bachelet, twice president of Chile, said in an email to AFP that “I said I would publish it before the end of my term and I did.”
“The issues are serious and I discussed them with high national and regional authorities” in China, he said.
China has been accused for years of detaining more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the remote western region of Xinjiang.
Activists have pointed to China by numerous abuses, which Beijing has vehemently refuted, insisting that they are vocational training centers in Xinjiang to counter extremism.
The report urges Beijing, the UN and the world to pay attention to the situation described in Xinjiang.
“The human rights situation in XUAR also requires urgent attention from the government, UN intergovernmental bodies and the human rights system, as well as the international community in general,” it adds.
But the 49-page document makes no reference to genocide, one of the main denunciations of critics of Beijing, including Washington.
“Invented lie”, China’s response
The Chinese ambassador to the UN in New York, Zhang Jun, said Wednesday before the document’s release that Beijing had informed him of its “strong opposition” To the text.
“The so-called Xinjiang issue is a completely fabricated lie for political reasons and its purpose is definitely to undermine China’s stability and obstruct its development.”Zhang told reporters.
He pointed out that Bachelet had to remain “independent” and not give in to “political pressure” from Western countries.
Bachelet and her office repeatedly explained that the reason for the report’s delay was that it was first sent to Beijing for comment, as is customary in these cases. But Zhang said China has not seen the report and “completely rejects” it.
The organization Amnesty International said in a statement that the report “uncovers the magnitude and seriousness of human rights violations in Xinjiang”, although it questioned the delay in its publication.
“The inexcusable delay in releasing this report is a stain on OHCHR,” but he insisted that it should not be downplayed.
Bachelet insisted that the dialogue with Beijing did not mean “approving, ignoring or turning a blind eye” to the events in Xinjiang.
He added that “the politicization of these serious human rights issues by some states did not help. They made the task more difficult, they made it difficult to engage and they made it difficult to build trust and the ability to have a real impact on the ground.”
Source: Ambito
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