More than 40 mainly world countries have criticized in a statement China for the reported torture and repression of Uyghurs.
The statement also pointed out that the reported torture of Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. It also kept a spotlight on the region where foreign governments say China held an estimated 1million people in camps.
The 43 countries that signed on to the statement criticizing China, which was read by France’s UN Ambassador Nicolas De Riviere at a meeting of the General Assembly’s human rights committee, expressed particular concern at “credible-based reports” of the “re-education camps” in Xinjiang.
“We have seen an increasing number of reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations,” the 43 countries said in their statement, “including reports documenting torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children.”
Respect Human Rights
“There are severe restrictions on freedom of religion, association and expression as well as on Uyghur culture,” they said. “Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uyghurs and members of other minorities.”
The 43 countries called on China to allow “immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang” to independent observers.
China’s Zhang said Bachelet has “a standing invitation” to visit and “consultations are still going on.”
He stressed that the visit should be “a friendly one” and should not start with “presumed guilt.”
“That’s not acceptable to China,” Zhang said.
““If they want to see a visit, they should change their course and they should give up their politicization of this issue and to remove the barriers.”
