Chinese technology giant Huawei &nbsp;is retroceding on a patent application it filed for a facial recognition system intended to identify Uyghurs from other Chinese ethnicities.

Huawei patent from 2018 describes the technology used to identify race features in pedestrians photographed or filmed in the street that may indicate they are of Uighur origin.

Huawei, however, said it will delete the reference to "Uighur" in the patent upon permission from China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the BBC reported, quoting a spokesperson.

"Huawei opposes discrimination of all types, including the use of technology to carry out ethnic discrimination," Huawei said.

As per a report by The Washington Post, Huawei has worked with at least four partner companies to develop surveillance technologies that claim to monitor people by ethnicity.

According to the report, it's artificial intelligence surveillance technology, which includes a face-scanning camera system that can send a "Uighur alarm" to police after detecting a member of the group, has sparked an international outcry against one of China's most valuable tech companies.

Classified documents known as the China Cables, accessed last year by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, threw light on how the Chinese government uses technology to control Uighur Muslims worldwide.

United Nations officials have said China is transforming the Xinjiang region, where many Uighurs live, into a “massive internment camp”.

However, China regularly denies such mistreatment and says the camps provide vocational training, while people in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and denial of food and medicine, and say they have been prohibited from practising their religion or speaking their language.

(With inputs from agencies)

Chinese technology giant Huawei is retroceding on a patent application it filed for a facial recognition system intended to identify Uyghurs from other Chinese ethnicities.

Chinese technology giant Huawei is retroceding on a patent application it filed for a facial recognition system intended to identify Uyghurs from other Chinese ethnicities. Huawei patent from 2018 describes the technology used to identify race features in pedestrians photographed or filmed in the street that may indicate they are of Uighur origin. Huawei, however, said it will delete the reference to "Uighur" in the patent upon permission from China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), the BBC reported, quoting a spokesperson. "Huawei opposes discrimination of all types, including the use of technology to carry out ethnic discrimination," Huawei said. As per a report by The Washington Post, Huawei has worked with at least four partner companies to develop surveillance technologies that claim to monitor people by ethnicity. According to the report, it's artificial intelligence surveillance technology, which includes a face-scanning camera system that can send a "Uighur alarm" to police after detecting a member of the group, has sparked an international outcry against one of China's most valuable tech companies. Classified documents known as the China Cables, accessed last year by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, threw light on how the Chinese government uses technology to control Uighur Muslims worldwide. United Nations officials have said China is transforming the Xinjiang region, where many Uighurs live, into a “massive internment camp”. However, China regularly denies such mistreatment and says the camps provide vocational training, while people in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and denial of food and medicine, and say they have been prohibited from practising their religion or speaking their language. (With inputs from agencies)

China’s Huawei backtracks after filing for patent of AI software that could recognise Uighurs

Huawei has worked with at least four partner companies to develop surveillance technologies that claim to monitor people by ethnicity, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

According to the report, it's artificial intelligence surveillance technology, which includes a face-scanning camera system that can send a "Uighur alarm" to police after detecting a member of the group, has sparked an international outcry against one of China's most valuable tech companies.

Washington Post reported that despite the company's claims that it is committed to human rights at the highest level, Huawei has worked with dozens of security contractors to develop surveillance products, some of which are said to be able to identify a person's ethnicity and help suppress potential protests, according to company marketing documents.

The international backlash included a French soccer star, Antoine Griezmann, who publicly ended his work as a Huawei brand ambassador and urged the company to 'condemn this mass repression'.

Meanwhile, Huawei representatives refuted the allegations, saying that the document outlining the "Uighur alarm", used language that is "completely unacceptable".

"It is not compatible with the values of Huawei... Our technologies are not designed to identify ethnic groups," said a representative.

However, products made by Huawei with four other partner companies were also advertised to have ethnicity-tracking capabilities, according to Chinese language marketing materials posted on a public Huawei website where the material could be downloaded by anyone who registered an account. After Washington Post approached Huawei for comment, the site briefly became inaccessible, and the number of product collaborations detailed on the site had dropped from over 2,000 to 38, after returning.

"We take the allegations in the Washington Post's article very seriously and are investigating the issues raised within," a Huawei spokesperson said in a statement to The Post.

Huawei and its partners have provided some of the surveillance products to authorities in China's Xinjiang region, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have detained thousands of Uighur Muslims, in an attempt to control and assimilate the ethnic minority group through a mass 're-education' campaign.

Among the surveillance products was a facial recognition system used by police in the Xinjiang capital, Urumqi, and a highway surveillance camera system for the region, according to documents from Huawei's website.

The company's partnerships reflect the ongoing expansion of surveillance in China, where top officials have called for police to use big data to fight crime, under the slogan, "One Person, One File," a phrase signifying the use of disparate information streams, from surveillance footage to Internet chat history, to better track individuals, reported Washington Post.

Jerome Cohen, a veteran China human rights legal expert, said racial profiling and discrimination are prevalent in China. The country's government is "engaging in racial profiling on a massive scale," he said.

Marketing materials for products co-developed by Huawei with DeepGlint, Bresee and Maiyuesoft also mention ethnicity identification or search features. The three companies did not respond to requests for comment.

Classified documents known as the China Cables, accessed last year by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, threw light on how the Chinese government uses technology to control Uighur Muslims worldwide.

However, China regularly denies such mistreatment and says the camps provide vocational training, while people in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and denial of food and medicine, and say they have been prohibited from practising their religion or speaking their language.

(With inputs from agencies)

Huawei has worked with at least four partner companies to develop surveillance technologies that claim to monitor people by ethnicity, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

Huawei has worked with at least four partner companies to develop surveillance technologies that claim to monitor people by ethnicity, The Washington Post reported Saturday. According to the report, it's artificial intelligence surveillance technology, which includes a face-scanning camera system that can send a "Uighur alarm" to police after detecting a member of the group, has sparked an international outcry against one of China's most valuable tech companies. Washington Post reported that despite the company's claims that it is committed to human rights at the highest level, Huawei has worked with dozens of security contractors to develop surveillance products, some of which are said to be able to identify a person's ethnicity and help suppress potential protests, according to company marketing documents. The international backlash included a French soccer star, Antoine Griezmann, who publicly ended his work as a Huawei brand ambassador and urged the company to 'condemn this mass repression'. Meanwhile, Huawei representatives refuted the allegations, saying that the document outlining the "Uighur alarm", used language that is "completely unacceptable". "It is not compatible with the values of Huawei... Our technologies are not designed to identify ethnic groups," said a representative. However, products made by Huawei with four other partner companies were also advertised to have ethnicity-tracking capabilities, according to Chinese language marketing materials posted on a public Huawei website where the material could be downloaded by anyone who registered an account. After Washington Post approached Huawei for comment, the site briefly became inaccessible, and the number of product collaborations detailed on the site had dropped from over 2,000 to 38, after returning. "We take the allegations in the Washington Post's article very seriously and are investigating the issues raised within," a Huawei spokesperson said in a statement to The Post. Huawei and its partners have provided some of the surveillance products to authorities in China's Xinjiang region, where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have detained thousands of Uighur Muslims, in an attempt to control and assimilate the ethnic minority group through a mass 're-education' campaign. Among the surveillance products was a facial recognition system used by police in the Xinjiang capital, Urumqi, and a highway surveillance camera system for the region, according to documents from Huawei's website. The company's partnerships reflect the ongoing expansion of surveillance in China, where top officials have called for police to use big data to fight crime, under the slogan, "One Person, One File," a phrase signifying the use of disparate information streams, from surveillance footage to Internet chat history, to better track individuals, reported Washington Post. Jerome Cohen, a veteran China human rights legal expert, said racial profiling and discrimination are prevalent in China. The country's government is "engaging in racial profiling on a massive scale," he said. Marketing materials for products co-developed by Huawei with DeepGlint, Bresee and Maiyuesoft also mention ethnicity identification or search features. The three companies did not respond to requests for comment. Classified documents known as the China Cables, accessed last year by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, threw light on how the Chinese government uses technology to control Uighur Muslims worldwide. However, China regularly denies such mistreatment and says the camps provide vocational training, while people in the internment camps have described being subjected to forced political indoctrination, torture, beatings, and denial of food and medicine, and say they have been prohibited from practising their religion or speaking their language. (With inputs from agencies)

Uighur alarm: Huawei worked with companies to build tools that track people by ethnicity

Regularly, the world hears of reports from various sources about China's atrocities on Muslim minority Uighurs, a community largely based in the region of Xinjiang.

However, a fresh report has suggested that Beijing's ill-treatment is not just limited to one Muslim community, but another group on the island province of Hainan is facing a suppression of carrying out religious activities.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/happiness-in-xinjiang-on-the-rise-chinas-xi-jinping-claims-330695">'Happiness' in Xinjiang on the rise, China's Xi Jinping claims</a>

A report by South China Morning Post (SCMC) said China is targeting the Utsuls, a small Muslim population-based in Sanya in Hainan, where residents are not allowed to wear traditional dresses in government offices and schools.&nbsp;

It said documents of the Communist Party also indicate an increase in surveillance of Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods to "resolve" issues and tighter curbs on religious and "Arabic" architecture.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, hijab was banned from schools which led to protests from Utsuls

Chinese social media showed how Muslim girls with headscarves were studying outside Tianya Utsul primary school and were surrounded by police officials.&nbsp;

"The official line is that no ethnic minority can wear traditional garments on school grounds but other ethnic minorities [in Sanya] don’t wear traditional garments in their daily life so it’s makes no difference to them but to us, the hijab is an integral part of our culture, if we take it off it’s like stripping off our clothes," said a Utsul who is involved with community work, as quoted by SCMP.&nbsp;

Regularly, the world hears of reports from various sources about China's atrocities on Muslim minority Uighurs, a community largely based in the region of Xinjiang.

Regularly, the world hears of reports from various sources about China's atrocities on Muslim minority Uighurs, a community largely based in the region of Xinjiang. However, a fresh report has suggested that Beijing's ill-treatment is not just limited to one Muslim community, but another group on the island province of Hainan is facing a suppression of carrying out religious activities. Also read | 'Happiness' in Xinjiang on the rise, China's Xi Jinping claims A report by South China Morning Post (SCMC) said China is targeting the Utsuls, a small Muslim population-based in Sanya in Hainan, where residents are not allowed to wear traditional dresses in government offices and schools. It said documents of the Communist Party also indicate an increase in surveillance of Muslim-dominated neighbourhoods to "resolve" issues and tighter curbs on religious and "Arabic" architecture. Earlier this month, hijab was banned from schools which led to protests from Utsuls Chinese social media showed how Muslim girls with headscarves were studying outside Tianya Utsul primary school and were surrounded by police officials. "The official line is that no ethnic minority can wear traditional garments on school grounds but other ethnic minorities [in Sanya] don’t wear traditional garments in their daily life so it’s makes no difference to them but to us, the hijab is an integral part of our culture, if we take it off it’s like stripping off our clothes," said a Utsul who is involved with community work, as quoted by SCMP.

After Uighurs, China targets religious identity of another Muslim minority

Former Premier League striker Demba Ba has called on football to condemn China's alleged persecution of its mainly Muslim Uighur minority, and accused the sport of putting money before morals.

The Senegalese international, a Muslim who played more than 50 times for China's Shanghai Shenhua, told the BBC he was prepared to spearhead a movement to "stand up".

China's ruling Communist Party is under growing international pressure over the fate of minorities in its northwestern region of Xinjiang.

More than one million ethnic Uighurs and other minorities, mostly Muslim Turkic peoples, have been herded into internment camps to undergo political indoctrination, according to rights groups and experts.

China says the camps are "vocational education centres" necessary to counter religious extremism and boost employment.

Ba, who played for Chelsea, Newcastle United and West Ham United, said: "I have to try and organise something so football players can get together and, in the meantime, talk about this matter because not a lot of people want to.

"I know there are footballers who want to fight for justice, whether Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, any belief," added Ba, 35, who now plays for Basaksehir in Turkey.

"As sports people, we have a power we don't even know. If we get together and talk, things change. If we stand up, people stand up with us."

Ba joins Arsenal's Mesut Ozil in breaking ranks over China's treatment of its Uighurs.

The German midfielder spoke out last year, prompting China's state TV to cut its broadcast of an Arsenal game. Ozil last week hit out at what he said was Arsenal's failure to back him.

<h2>- 'People close their eyes' -</h2>

Arsenal did not criticise Ozil for making the comments, but posted on China's Twitter-like Weibo that the club "always adheres to the principles" of not getting involved in politics.

In China, the world's second-biggest economy and a major market for the Premier League and other international sports, Ozil was lambasted as "a clown" by state media.

Since that incident English football clubs, including Arsenal, have supported the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd was killed in the United States.

Ba drew parallels between football's anti-racism message -- with players "taking a knee" before Premier League games -- with what he said was silence over Xinjiang.

"The Black Lives Matter movement is stronger when non-black people step up for it," Ba said.

"When are we going to see the rest of the world stand up for Muslims?" he asked, accusing clubs of putting "pressure on players not to get involved" in the Uighur question.

"If there was a financial risk to Black Lives Matter, it would not have happened," said Ba, who says he had no problems practising his religion after arriving in China in 2015.

"Arsenal talked about Black Lives Matter but when it was about Uighur lives Arsenal didn't want to talk about it because of the pressure and economic impact.

"When there are financial benefits, some people close their eyes.

"Money has more value than real values."

Former Premier League striker Demba Ba has called on football to condemn China's alleged persecution of its mainly Muslim Uighur minority, and accused the sport of putting money before morals.

Former Premier League striker Demba Ba has called on football to condemn China's alleged persecution of its mainly Muslim Uighur minority, and accused the sport of putting money before morals. The Senegalese international, a Muslim who played more than 50 times for China's Shanghai Shenhua, told the BBC he was prepared to spearhead a movement to "stand up". China's ruling Communist Party is under growing international pressure over the fate of minorities in its northwestern region of Xinjiang. More than one million ethnic Uighurs and other minorities, mostly Muslim Turkic peoples, have been herded into internment camps to undergo political indoctrination, according to rights groups and experts. China says the camps are "vocational education centres" necessary to counter religious extremism and boost employment. Ba, who played for Chelsea, Newcastle United and West Ham United, said: "I have to try and organise something so football players can get together and, in the meantime, talk about this matter because not a lot of people want to. "I know there are footballers who want to fight for justice, whether Muslim, Buddhist, Christian, any belief," added Ba, 35, who now plays for Basaksehir in Turkey. "As sports people, we have a power we don't even know. If we get together and talk, things change. If we stand up, people stand up with us." Ba joins Arsenal's Mesut Ozil in breaking ranks over China's treatment of its Uighurs. The German midfielder spoke out last year, prompting China's state TV to cut its broadcast of an Arsenal game. Ozil last week hit out at what he said was Arsenal's failure to back him. - 'People close their eyes' - Arsenal did not criticise Ozil for making the comments, but posted on China's Twitter-like Weibo that the club "always adheres to the principles" of not getting involved in politics. In China, the world's second-biggest economy and a major market for the Premier League and other international sports, Ozil was lambasted as "a clown" by state media. Since that incident English football clubs, including Arsenal, have supported the Black Lives Matter movement after George Floyd was killed in the United States. Ba drew parallels between football's anti-racism message -- with players "taking a knee" before Premier League games -- with what he said was silence over Xinjiang. "The Black Lives Matter movement is stronger when non-black people step up for it," Ba said. "When are we going to see the rest of the world stand up for Muslims?" he asked, accusing clubs of putting "pressure on players not to get involved" in the Uighur question. "If there was a financial risk to Black Lives Matter, it would not have happened," said Ba, who says he had no problems practising his religion after arriving in China in 2015. "Arsenal talked about Black Lives Matter but when it was about Uighur lives Arsenal didn't want to talk about it because of the pressure and economic impact. "When there are financial benefits, some people close their eyes. "Money has more value than real values."

Demba Ba urges football to 'stand up' over China's Uighurs

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo did not disclose the names of the officials in-line with US policy not to publicly discuss individual visa matters

US sanctions senior CCP officials over human rights violations in Xinjiang