Beijing officials under fire over Uyghur skier ‘propaganda’ act

BEIJING 2022 organisers have been accused of crass and flagrant ‘propaganda’ after using a Uyghur athlete to light the cauldron at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.

Outcry was sparked by the move that saw the Uyghur cross-country skier Dinigeer Yilamujiang chosen as one of two Chinese competitors to ignite the flame.

It followed fierce criticism of the Chinese Government in the build-up to these Games, owing to claims they are committing crimes against humanity in their treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang.

Human rights groups allege as many as one million Uyghurs are currently detained in ‘re-education’ camps and enduring atrocious abuse.

Rahima Mahmut (pictured), of the World Uyghur Congress, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘It was propaganda. ‘They want to give their best image to the world and to discredit survivors and organisations like ours who want to tell the world about the genocide that is happening.

‘They want people to believe them, to sportwash what they are doing.’

Bennett Freeman, of the Coalition to End Forced Labour in the Uyghur Region Steering Committee, said: ‘It’s a brazen, cynical ploy that the world should see through and understand the truth of the crimes against humanity that the Chinese Government has perpetrated against Uyghurs and other Turkic minorities in western China.’

An International Olympic Committee spokesman defended the involvement of Dinigeer, who finished 43rd in the 15km skiathlon yesterday, saying: ‘She has every right wherever she comes from, to take part in the Opening Ceremony. I think it was a lovely concept.’