We Hold These Truths
We Hold These Truths
We Hold These Truths
| 2.4.20

One Big Thing: China's Repression of Uighurs & Religious Freedom

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What you need to know:

  • The Chinese government has unjustly imprisoned over a million Uighurs - a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from China’s northwestern region of Xinjiang – in reeducation camps. Most of the detainees have never been charged with crimes and many have been labeled as extremists simply for practicing their religion.
  • Inside the camps the detainees are forced to pledge loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and renounce Islam. Cameras and microphones monitor the camps, many detainees are tortured, and women have shared stories of sexual abuse.
  • The CCP also threatens Uighurs abroad in an attempt to control their speech and actions. Many Uighurs who have spoken out have had family members and friends detained in reeducation camps to punish them for their advocacy. The CCP has also punished international criticism of its treatment of Uighurs by canceling financial agreements and censoring content.

Why does this matter?

  • The U.S. Department of State has repeatedly condemned the Chinese government for its treatment of the Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups. Freedom of religion is a basic human right not only enshrined in the U.S. Constitution but the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • The UN Commission for Human Rights has demanded access to the camps and the European Union has called on China to respect religious freedom in Xinjiang. Several human rights advocacy organizations have also cited the situation as a potential genocide. The Chinese government has rejected the allegations about the re-education camps, claiming that the facilities are vocational training centers that emphasize “rehabilitation and redemption” to combat terrorism and religious extremism.
  • Many detainees have been forced to work in factories close to the detention camps where inmates have little choice but to accept jobs. These factories are sweatshops, meant to enrich the Chinese government while stripping Uighurs from any sense of economic freedom.

 What can you do?