Independent UK Body Confirms China's Genocide In Xinjiang

An independent, unofficial body set up by a prominent British barrister to assess evidence on China’s alleged rights abuses against the Uyghur people concluded Thursday that the Chinese government committed genocide and crimes against humanity.

Photo Insert: Uyghurs flock to a marketplace in Xinjiang

The Uyghur Tribunal, made up of lawyers, academics and businesspeople, doesn’t have any government backing or powers to sanction or punish China.

But organizers hope the process of publicly laying out evidence will compel international action to tackle alleged abuses against the Uyghurs, a largely Muslim ethnic group, Sylvia Hui and Huizhong Wu reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Tribunal chair Geoffrey Nice said the group was satisfied that forced birth control and sterilization policies targeting Uyghurs in China’s far western Xinjiang province were intended to reduce the group’s population.

The abuse was part of comprehensive policies directly linked to President Xi Jinping and the highest levels of the Chinese government, he said. The Chinese Embassy in London didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Thursday that “the so-called forced labor and genocide in Xinjiang are entirely vicious rumors.”

Wang was responding to a question about a law passed Wednesday by the US House of Representatives to ban imports from Xinjiang over forced labor concerns.

After examining evidence from witnesses, experts, and leaked Chinese government documents for over a year, the Uyghur Tribunal concluded that it was beyond doubt that genocide and crimes against humanity were committed, including the torture and rape of scores held in vast detention centers.

WEEKLY FEATURE : MVP Group Keeps Lights On During Pandemic