B’nai B’rith UK condemns China’s actions against the Uighur people

By bnaibrithukadminuser In Advocacy, BB London Bureau of International Affairs, BBUK, Statements On 21 July 2020

Report by Jeremy Havardi

B’nai B’rith UK would like to condemn in the strongest terms China’s ongoing persecution of the Uighur people. In recent months, we have seen horrifying evidence of abuse in the Xinjiang province, involving the construction of internment camps which hold up to one million people. Most Uighurs have not been charged with any crimes and they have no access to lawyers. Many have been subjected to torture and enforced re-education while Uighur women are subjected to mass sterilisation and abortions. Uighurs are forced to pledge loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party and to renounce Islam, an attempted elimination of cultural identity that amounts to genocide. China’s denial of these gross human rights abuses simply lacks credibility. For Jews around the world, such events have a terrible resonance and provide a moral imperative to speak out. Thus we are calling on all major international NGOs to issue statements condemning the treatment of the Uighurs and to make this issue a pivotal part of their campaigning. We also call on the government to condemn China’s conduct in the strongest terms.