Turkey urges China to close ‘shameful’ Uighur camps

TURKEY has called on China to close its internment camps holding a million ethnic Uighur Muslims, labelling the facilities a “shame for humanity”.

Last week, human rights activists urged European and Muslim nations to take the lead in establishing a UN investigation into China’s detention and “forced indoctrination” of the Uighurs, who speak a Turkic language, and other Muslims in Xinjiang province.

“The policy… is a great shame for humanity,” said Hami Aksoy, Turkey’s foreign ministry spokesman. He added that those held were being subjected to torture and political brainwashing. “It is no longer a secret that more than 1 million Uighur Turks incurring arbitrary arrests are subjected to torture and political brainwashing in internment camps and prisons,” he said.

Turkey’s response follows the death in detention of Abdurehim Heyit, a Uighur poet and musician, which Mr Aksoy said had “reinforced the reaction of Turkish public opinion towards serious human rights violations committed in the Xinjiang region”.

China’s embassy in Ankara said the accusations were false. “Allegations that the Chinese government is attempting to ‘eliminate’ the ethnic, religious and cultural identity of Uighurs and other Muslims are completely groundless,” it said.

Beijing faces growing pressure over its “de-radicalisation” programme in its far western province. Ankara called on the international community and the UN secretary general to take action.

China insists it protects the religion and culture of ethnic minorities and says security measures in Xinjiang are needed to counter groups that incite violence there.