UK accuses China of gross abuses against Uighur

LONDON (AFP): Britain has accused China of gross and egregious human rights abuses over its deeply troubling treatment of the Uighur population in the country’s western Xinjiang region.

According to the right groups, more than one million ethnic Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking minorities have been rounded up into a network of internment camps.

While talking to an international news channel, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that the reports of forced sterilizations and mass detentions in the predominantly Muslim region required international attention.

“Whatever the legal label, it is clear that gross, egregious human rights abuses are going on. It is deeply, deeply troubling and the reports on the human aspect of this are reminiscent of something we have not seen for a very long time,” he added.

UK Foreign Secretary further said, “We want a positive relationship with China but we can’t see behavior like that and not call it out.” The UK would work with its allies to take appropriate action, he insisted.

There are growing calls for the UK to impose sanctions, such as asset freezes and travel bans, on Chinese officials responsible for the persecution of the Uighurs.

Earlier, the UK took action against senior generals in Myanmar who orchestrated the campaign of violence against the Rohingya and against North Korean bodies behind forced labour camps.

The comments of the UK Foreign Secretary come as tensions between London and China are rising over a host of issues. Britain on Tuesday ordered the phased removal of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from its 5G network due to sustained pressure from Washington.