Geneva – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday sharply criticised China’s continued inaction regarding human rights concerns in Xinjiang, four years after a landmark report from his office called for accountability. Türk, addressing the UN Human Rights Council, expressed his “deplore” at the lack of progress in protecting the rights of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the region, as well as Tibetans.
“I deplore the lack of follow-up on previous recommendations to protect the rights of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang, and of Tibetans in their regions,” Türk stated, citing concerns over labour practices and restrictions on religious and cultural freedoms. He likewise voiced alarm over what he described as “intensified repression of Protestant communities” within China.
The criticism comes in the wake of a 2022 report by Türk’s predecessor, Michelle Bachelet, which detailed potential “crimes against humanity” committed in Xinjiang. That assessment, which China strongly contested, highlighted “credible” evidence of widespread torture, arbitrary detention, and violations of reproductive and religious rights targeting Uyghurs and other Muslim groups. The report built upon earlier findings from Amnesty International in 2021, which also concluded that China’s policies in the region amounted to crimes against humanity as detailed by Amnesty International.
Since assuming his role, Türk has faced mounting pressure from human rights organizations to increase scrutiny of China’s human rights record. The current High Commissioner’s remarks underscore a growing frustration with Beijing’s refusal to address the concerns raised by the UN and international observers. Amnesty International’s China Director, Sarah Brooks, recently stated that three years after the initial UN report, it is “shameful that the international community has failed to act,” noting the continued suffering of families seeking information about detained relatives.
Türk further urged China “to stop using vague criminal administrative and national security provisions to suppress the peaceful exercise of fundamental rights.” He alluded to recent cases, including the 20-year prison sentence handed down to Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai under a Beijing-imposed national security law, which he highlighted earlier this month. He reiterated his call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained.
The situation in Xinjiang has drawn international condemnation, with governments and rights groups alike calling for greater transparency and accountability. Despite the mounting evidence and repeated calls for action, the Chinese government continues to defend its policies in Xinjiang as necessary to combat extremism and maintain social stability. A recent image from Kashgar, Xinjiang, shows a torn propaganda poster promoting ethnic unity, juxtaposed with the increasing influx of tourists as the government attempts to rebrand the region as a tourism destination as reported by Hong Kong Free Press.
The UN Human Rights Office’s initial assessment of human rights concerns in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is available on the OHCHR website. A joint statement from several nations, marking the second anniversary of the OHCHR’s assessment, called upon China to implement the report’s recommendations and uphold its international obligations according to the U.S. Mission to Geneva.
As of Friday, the Chinese government has not issued a formal response to Türk’s latest criticisms, leaving the fate of Uyghurs and other minorities in Xinjiang uncertain and the prospect of meaningful international intervention unresolved.
