UN releases report on China’s treatment of Uyghurs; reveals rape, torture in Xinjiang

The United Nations, on Friday, termed a report on China’s treatment of Uyghurs as “deeply disturbing” and reiterated its concern regarding the minority community. The report by a panel of London based lawyers and human rights experts was released earlier this week and accused the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) of conducting genocides, rape and torture in the so-called ‘vocational education and training centres' in Xinjiang. Hong Kong Free Press reported that the Uyghur Tribunal Judgement was made in the aftermath of the panellists listening to the allegations of torture, rape and inhumane treatment at two evidence sessions earlier this year. 

What did United Nations say?

On Monday, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Rupert Colville said that the report had ‘brought to light more information” that was “deeply disturbing.” He said credit was due to the “many victims or witnesses who took a great risk in coming forward”, stressing that it was “extremely important therefore to give them full protection from any reprisals”. However, he also reckoned that the UN had not verified the findings-including the conclusion that Chinese authorities had conducted genocide on Uyghurs. It is imperative to note that the methods used by the CCP officials were ‘extremely violent” and “inhumane.” 

What did the tribunal report reveal?

“Hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs– with some estimates well over a million - have been detained by PRC authorities without any, or any remotely sufficient reason, and subjected to acts of unconscionable cruelty, depravity and inhumanity. Sometimes up to 50 have been detained in a cell of 22 square metres so that all couldn't lie on concrete (or similar) floors, with buckets for toilets to be used given all in the cell, observed at every moment by CCT,” an excerpt from the report stated.

In addendum, it said that many of those detained were “tortured for no reason”. The torture methods included “pulling off fingernails; beating with sticks; detaining in ‘tiger chairs’ where feet and hands were locked in position for hours or days without break; confined in containers up to the neck in cold water and detained in cages so small that standing or lying was impossible. In the addendum, instances of rapes, deliberate starvation, solitary confinement and sleep deprivation were also cited. 

“Women detainees have had their vaginas and rectums penetrated by electric shock rods and iron bars. Women were raped by men paying to be allowed into the detention centre for the purpose,” the report stated. 

(Image: AP/Mark Schiefelbein)