UK chastises China over failure to provide UN's Bachelet 'unfettered' access to Xinjiang

After the US, the United Kingdom on Monday slammed China for its failure to grant UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet "full and unfettered" access to the Xinjiang province in order to assess the human rights situation in the region. According to a statement by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), the denial to grant unfettered access to Xinjiang only serves to highlight Beijing's determination to "hide the truth."

London has vowed to act with the international partners to increase pressure on China to immediately cease the "appalling human rights violations" in the Uyghur Muslim majority Xinjiang. The statement also called for the release of those "unjustly detained." "We look forward to the High Commissioner's long-awaited report on the situation in Xinjiang," an FCDO spokesperson said.

US slams China for blocking 'complete assessment' of the human rights situation in Xinjiang

The statement comes against the backdrop of growing discontent over Bachelet's visit which experts believe failed to serve the purpose. The US on Sunday yet again lashed out at China for attempting to manipulate Bachelet's 6-day visit to Xinjiang province on May 16. In a statement, the US State Department accused Beijing of hindering "complete and independent assessment" of the human rights situation in the Uyghur Muslim majority community of China. The US also described the preconditions China laid out for the visit as efforts to "restrict and manipulate" Bachelet's trip. 

Further, the President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) Dolkun Isa stated the UN High Commissioner "wasted a historic opportunity to investigate the Uyghur genocide," as per an official statement. Isa accused Bachelet of "aligning with China's wishes." He remarked, that the visit by no means "adequately addressed for Uyghurs and accountability for those responsible."

Human rights situation in Xinjiang

China has repeatedly been accused of committing systematic human rights violations in Xinjiang. A report by the HRW claimed that under the Xi Jinping leadership there have been widespread complaints of mass detention, torture, forced sinicisation, cultural persecution, separation of families and forced returns to China, and sexual violence and breach of reproductive rights. The US and several other allies, including the UK, have also accused China of committing "genocide" and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang.  

(Image: AP)