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The European Parliament (EP) adopted its strongest language yet regarding the ongoing human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang province, citing “crimes against humanity and a serious risk of genocide.” The European Parliament “strongly condemns in the strongest possible terms the People’s Republic of China’s systematic oppression of the Uyghur community through brutal measures such as mass deportation, political indoctrination, family disruption, and restrictions on religious freedom, cultural destruction, and comprehensive use of surveillance.”
Additional sanctions against Chinese high-ranking officials such as Chen Quanguo, Zhao Kezhi, Guo Shengkun, and Hu Lianhe were advocated for by the European Parliament. They urged the few remaining EU members to suspend extradition agreement with China and Hong Kong.
According to the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), the Parliament’s list of policies to be implemented includes an import ban on all products produced by forced labour and products manufactured by all Chinese companies listed as exploiting forced labour.
Finally, the European Parliament demanded the release of the long-awaited report on human rights violations in Xinjiang by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
IPAC, an international cross-party group of legislators, applauded the European Parliament’s “strong and united voice” and hoped that the European Commission and member states would heed this call to action.
Following the resolution’s adoption, IPAC Co-Chair Reinhard Butikofer MEP stated: “The Xinjiang Police Files have debunked the Chinese government’s claim that its so-called “vocational training centres” are used for re-education. These papers contribute to the growing body of evidence documenting China’s totalitarian repression of Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities.”
“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights must reveal her survey on the abuses happening in the region as soon as possible,” he added, adding that “the EU can lead the way in holding those held accountable for these policies accountable.”
