Pressure mounts on China over UN Xinjiang report as Western governments, rights groups seek accountability

Western governments, lawmakers and international rights groups on Thursday welcomed a long-awaited United Nations report that concluded China “may have committed crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang “in the context of the government’s application of counterterrorism and counter-‘extremism’ strategies”.

While Beijing rejected it as a “politicised document” plotted by anti-China forces, a chorus of efforts to pressure the Asian power to ensure Uygurs and other minorities have access to “full human rights” grew louder following the report’s release by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet.

Bachelet, whose tenure ended minutes after the report was issued, visited Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in May. But her report on the situation in the far-western Chinese province was delayed multiple times, prompting fierce criticism from human rights activists and their sympathisers as well as warnings from Beijing.

The former Chilean president said she could not freely move about Xinjiang. During her visit she spoke with government officials, civil society organisations, academics, and community and religious leaders.

Patricia Flor, the German ambassador to China, described the 40-page findings and recommendations as “very substantial”. In rejecting China’s attempts to label the situation in Xinjiang a domestic issue, Flor said “fighting terrorism cannot excuse human rights violations”.