European Parliament warns of serious risk of genocide in China's Xinjiang province

In a major development, the European Parliament on Thursday adopted its strongest language yet concerning the human rights infringements in China's Xinjiang province. The majority of the parliamentarians condemned the crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and warned of possible genocide in the region. The parliament noted the Uyghur community in the People's Republic of China has been systematically oppressed by brutal measures including mass deportation, political indoctrination, family separation, restrictions on religious freedom, cultural destruction and extensive use of surveillance.

It further advocated for sanctioning several high officials including Chen Quanguo, a Chinese politician and a current member of the 19th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, Zhao Kezhi, Minister and Party Committee Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security Guo Shengkun and Hu Lianhe. They reiterated calls to a few remaining EU member states to suspend extradition accords with China and Hong Kong. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) noted that it also advocated for imposing an embargo on all imports which are manufactured by forced labour in China.

European Parliament says Xinjiang Police Files have exposed brutality of Chinese officials

The European Parliament also noted the companies which are actively using these labourers to produce goods. Following the adoption of the resolution, IPAC Co-Chair Reinhard Butikofer MEP said: "The Xinjiang Police Files have exposed the Chinese government's claim that its so-called 'vocational training centres' are for re-education purposes as a lie. These papers add to a growing body of evidence documenting the totalitarian repression of the Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in China." "The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights must urgently release her report into the abuses taking place in the region, and the EU can lead the way in holding those responsible for these policies to account," he added.

Earlier, on several occasions, many Asian, Western and European nations raised grave concerns regarding the Xi Jinping administration's intent to suppress the people in overcrowded detention camps. Despite evidence and global pressure, the Communist regime never accepted establishing any such camps in the western region of the country. On the other hand, the UN expert's report states that up to 1 million ethnic Uyghurs could be in so-called "re-education camps" in Xinjiang.

With inputs from ANI

Image: AP