China committing 'crimes against humanity' to 'break roots' of Uyghurs: Human Rights Watch

The Chinese President Xi Jinping’s government is carrying out “crimes against humanity” to “break lineage, roots” of Muslim ethnic minority, Uyghurs, said international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch in a new report published on April 19. It also held the Chinee leadership for the widespread policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution among other offences. In the 53-page report, the Human Rights Watch also called for global action against the ones who are responsible in order to elevate accountability and corner the Chinese government. 

The report titled, “Break Their Lineage, Break Their Roots’: China’s Crimes against Humanity Targeting Uyghurs and Other Turkic Muslims,” has been authored by Human Rights Watch along with assistance from Stanford Law School’s Human Rights & Conflict Resolution Clinic. The experts drew the latest available information from the Chinese government documents, human rights groups as well as media reports in order to dig into the actions the Chinese government is taking in the remote area of Xinjiang. The reports also identified a range of abuses against Turkic Muslims. 

Human Rights Watch said in a statement, “The Chinese government is committing crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the northwest region of Xinjiang, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today."

"The Chinese leadership is responsible for widespread and systematic policies of mass detention, torture, and cultural persecution, among other offences. Coordinated international action is needed to sanction those responsible, advance accountability, and press the Chinese government to reverse course,” it added.

China has ‘systematically persecuted’ Turkic Muslims

China director at Human Rights Watch, Sophie Richardson said in a statement that Chinese authorities have “systematically persecuted Turkic Muslims” and their lives, religion, culture. Richardson further added, “Beijing has said it’s providing ‘vocational training’ and ‘deradicalization,’ but that rhetoric can’t obscure a grim reality of crimes against humanity.” Further, Beth Van Schaack, faculty affiliate, Stanford Center for Human Rights & International Justice also said that it is “increasingly clear” that the practices of the Chinese regime against Turkic Muslim meet the standard for crimes.

“It’s increasingly clear that Chinese government policies and practices against the Turkic Muslim population in Xinjiang meet the standard for crimes against humanity under international criminal law,” said Beth Van Schaack. “The government’s failure to stop these crimes, let alone punish those responsible, shows the need for strong and coordinated international action.”

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