The Communist Party of China (CPC) has expanded its repression of the Uyghur in recent years, which includes limiting their freedom of expression, speech, religion, and freedom to move around, Voices Against Autocracy reported.

Several media reports have underlined the persecution of Uyghurs as the most horrifying crime against humanity in China.

Since 2017, the Chinese government has incarcerated over a million Uyghurs in "re-education camps" and subjected those who have not been detained to rigorous monitoring, religious restrictions, forced labour, and forcible sterilisation, according to Voices Against Autocracy.

It has been regarded as "the largest incarceration of a minority group since the Holocaust" by Western researchers.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/china-to-boycott-g20-meet-in-indias-j-k-saudi-arabia-egypt-turkey-skip-registration-594356">China to boycott G20 meet in India’s J-K; Saudi Arabia, Egypt &amp; Turkey skip registration</a>

A UN Human Rights Office assessment released last year indicated "patterns of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment" in the camps. The vast majority of those incarcerated in the camps were never charged and had no legal recourse to protest their confinement.

According to a recent Al Jazeera report (released on May 4 , 2023) citing a Human Rights Watch (HRW) forensic investigation, Chinese authorities have monitored the phones of the ethnic minority Uyghur for the presence of 50,000 known multimedia files that were used to flag what China views as extremism, with the mere possession of the Quran triggering a police interrogation.

Notably, China also continues to utilise its considerable sway to influence UN processes and ensure that its partners avoid publicly acknowledging Uyghur oppression.

Following the release of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voted down a motion by the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to convene a debate on human rights abuses in Xinjiang in October 2022, just the second time in 16 years, reported Voices Against Autocracy.

On the Chinese atrocities on Uyghur minorities, Michael Levitt, writing in the Toronto Star said that world attention on the plight of the Uyghurs has somewhat decreased.

He concludes his case by noting that the oppression of Uyghurs in China is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity.

According to the US State Department's annual report on religious freedom around the world, violations of human rights in China and Iran have become a major cause of concern in recent times.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that most oppressive nations around the world are growing even more dire. "Governments in many parts of the world continue to target religious minorities using a host of methods, including torture, beatings, unlawful surveillance, and so-called re-education camps," he said.

Blinken underscored abuses against the predominately Muslim Uyghur minority group in the Xinjiang province of China, a country one senior State Department official described as "one of the worst abusers of human rights and religious freedom in the world."

WATCH | G7 to agree tools to counter Chinese economic 'coercion'

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/g7-to-agree-tools-to-counter-chinese-economic-coercion-594432/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The report accused Beijing of jailing as many as 10,000 or more people in 2022 in a widening campaign of repression against religious belief meant to bring all theological activity under the Chinese Communist Party's control.

The estimate of those imprisoned in the country ranging "from the low thousands to over 10,000" is one of many contained in the State Department's International Religious Freedom Report.

The US has previously determined that Beijing's treatment of the Uyghurs amounts to genocide and crimes against humanity, and the report, which covers the year 2022, said that persecution has continued steadily.

<main>
<section>
You can&nbsp;now write for&nbsp;wionews.com&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>
</section>
</main>

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has expanded its repression of the Uyghur in recent years, which includes limiting their freedom of expression, speech, religion, and freedom to move around, Voices Against Autocracy reported.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) has expanded its repression of the Uyghur in recent years, which includes limiting their freedom of expression, speech, religion, and freedom to move around, Voices Against Autocracy reported. Several media reports have underlined the persecution of Uyghurs as the most horrifying crime against humanity in China. Since 2017, the Chinese government has incarcerated over a million Uyghurs in "re-education camps" and subjected those who have not been detained to rigorous monitoring, religious restrictions, forced labour, and forcible sterilisation, according to Voices Against Autocracy. It has been regarded as "the largest incarceration of a minority group since the Holocaust" by Western researchers. ALSO READ | China to boycott G20 meet in India’s J-K; Saudi Arabia, Egypt & Turkey skip registration A UN Human Rights Office assessment released last year indicated "patterns of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment" in the camps. The vast majority of those incarcerated in the camps were never charged and had no legal recourse to protest their confinement. According to a recent Al Jazeera report (released on May 4 , 2023) citing a Human Rights Watch (HRW) forensic investigation, Chinese authorities have monitored the phones of the ethnic minority Uyghur for the presence of 50,000 known multimedia files that were used to flag what China views as extremism, with the mere possession of the Quran triggering a police interrogation. Notably, China also continues to utilise its considerable sway to influence UN processes and ensure that its partners avoid publicly acknowledging Uyghur oppression. Following the release of the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) voted down a motion by the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom to convene a debate on human rights abuses in Xinjiang in October 2022, just the second time in 16 years, reported Voices Against Autocracy. On the Chinese atrocities on Uyghur minorities, Michael Levitt, writing in the Toronto Star said that world attention on the plight of the Uyghurs has somewhat decreased. He concludes his case by noting that the oppression of Uyghurs in China is one of the most heinous crimes against humanity. According to the US State Department's annual report on religious freedom around the world, violations of human rights in China and Iran have become a major cause of concern in recent times. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that most oppressive nations around the world are growing even more dire. "Governments in many parts of the world continue to target religious minorities using a host of methods, including torture, beatings, unlawful surveillance, and so-called re-education camps," he said. Blinken underscored abuses against the predominately Muslim Uyghur minority group in the Xinjiang province of China, a country one senior State Department official described as "one of the worst abusers of human rights and religious freedom in the world." WATCH | G7 to agree tools to counter Chinese economic 'coercion' The report accused Beijing of jailing as many as 10,000 or more people in 2022 in a widening campaign of repression against religious belief meant to bring all theological activity under the Chinese Communist Party's control. The estimate of those imprisoned in the country ranging "from the low thousands to over 10,000" is one of many contained in the State Department's International Religious Freedom Report. The US has previously determined that Beijing's treatment of the Uyghurs amounts to genocide and crimes against humanity, and the report, which covers the year 2022, said that persecution has continued steadily. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

More than a million Uyghurs ‘re-education camps’ built by China in six years: Report

A group of US lawmakers have called for a probe against Chinese fast fashion brand Shein over claims that it is using Uyghur forced labour to make clothes.

Ahead of the company’s initial public offering, around 22 lawmakers—both Democrats and Republicans— have shot off a letter to the market regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to independently audit and verify "that the company does not use Uyghur forced labour”.

It comes amidst reports that the Chinese fashion brand may sell its shares in the US.

“We strongly believe that the ability to issue and trade securities on our domestic exchanges is a privilege, and that foreign companies wishing to do so must uphold a demonstrated commitment to human rights across the globe,” the lawmakers further wrote in the letter.

The lawmakers claimed that they have "credible allegations of utilising underpaid and forced labour" and sought a thorough probe before the firm is allowed to be listed on the US stock exchange.

Shein’s response

Responding to the letter, Shein denied having used forced labour cotton from Xinjiang for its clothing lines.

"We have zero tolerance for forced labour," Shein told the BBC.

The company also said that it currently has no plans for a listing on Wall Street.

<h1>China bars Uyghur Muslims from praying in mosques&nbsp;</h1>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-bars-uyghur-muslims-from-praying-in-mosques-trending-on-wion-587586/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We are committed to respecting human rights and adhering to local laws and regulations in each market we operate in."

"Our suppliers must adhere to a strict code of conduct that is aligned to the International Labour Organization's core conventions," it added.

Do Shein’s clothes have forced cotton from Xinjiang? 

Some of the Western brands have already removed Xinjiang cotton from their supply chains, and the US has passed a new rule on the import of goods from Xinjiang which requires firms to prove they were not produced using forced labour.

The allegations of using Uyghur forced labour stem from a report by Bloomberg last year that the Chinese fashion behemoth was using cotton from the Xinjiang region of China in some of its clothing. Two batches of clothes were selected for testing and it was found that both batches had cotton which was grown in the Xinjiang region.

A report by the United Nations also supported this claim that they have reasonable evidence to prove that forced labour was taking place in China’s far-western region.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

A group of US lawmakers have called for a probe against Chinese fast fashion brand Shein over claims that it is using Uyghur forced labour to make clothes. Ahead of the company’s initial public offering, around 22 lawmakers—both Democrats and Republicans— have shot off a letter to the market regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to independently audit and verify "that the company does not use Uyghur forced labour”.

A group of US lawmakers have called for a probe against Chinese fast fashion brand Shein over claims that it is using Uyghur forced labour to make clothes. Ahead of the company’s initial public offering, around 22 lawmakers—both Democrats and Republicans— have shot off a letter to the market regulator Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), to independently audit and verify "that the company does not use Uyghur forced labour”. It comes amidst reports that the Chinese fashion brand may sell its shares in the US. “We strongly believe that the ability to issue and trade securities on our domestic exchanges is a privilege, and that foreign companies wishing to do so must uphold a demonstrated commitment to human rights across the globe,” the lawmakers further wrote in the letter. The lawmakers claimed that they have "credible allegations of utilising underpaid and forced labour" and sought a thorough probe before the firm is allowed to be listed on the US stock exchange. Shein’s response Responding to the letter, Shein denied having used forced labour cotton from Xinjiang for its clothing lines. "We have zero tolerance for forced labour," Shein told the BBC. The company also said that it currently has no plans for a listing on Wall Street. China bars Uyghur Muslims from praying in mosques "We are committed to respecting human rights and adhering to local laws and regulations in each market we operate in." "Our suppliers must adhere to a strict code of conduct that is aligned to the International Labour Organization's core conventions," it added. Do Shein’s clothes have forced cotton from Xinjiang? Some of the Western brands have already removed Xinjiang cotton from their supply chains, and the US has passed a new rule on the import of goods from Xinjiang which requires firms to prove they were not produced using forced labour. The allegations of using Uyghur forced labour stem from a report by Bloomberg last year that the Chinese fashion behemoth was using cotton from the Xinjiang region of China in some of its clothing. Two batches of clothes were selected for testing and it was found that both batches had cotton which was grown in the Xinjiang region. A report by the United Nations also supported this claim that they have reasonable evidence to prove that forced labour was taking place in China’s far-western region. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ahead of likely Wall Street listing, US lawmakers call on SEC to probe China’s Shien over Uyghur claims

In a major setback to Chinese efforts to combat pro-Uyghur geopolitical postures, the Canadian parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favour of a proposal for the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim refugees from China's Xinjiang region into Canada over two years. The House of Commons voted 322-0 in favour of Liberal member of parliament Sameer Zuberi's bill.

Responding to a question about the proposal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that Xinjiang's people live in peace and work happily, while human rights safeguards for all ethnicities in the region were continuously improving.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-trudeau-concerned-over-chinese-interference-in-canada-534840">WION Fineprint | Trudeau concerned over Chinese interference in Canada</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-trudeau-concerned-over-chinese-interference-in-canada-534840/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"We urge the Canadian side to respect facts and truth, stop using the Xinjiang question for ulterior motives and political manipulation, stop spreading false information and misleading the public," Mao said.

<h2>What Canada's pro-Uyghur proposal is all about?</h2>

The Canadian parliamentary proposal&nbsp;called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led government to recognise that Uyghurs and other ethnic Turkic Muslims who have fled to third countries face "pressure and intimidation" by China to return. The undivided 322-0 support is likely to put pressure on his minority government to take action.

"Canada will always do its part in helping those in need of protection," Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement. "I am committed to working with members of all parties to advance the measures outlined in the motion adopted by the House of Commons today."

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-urges-canada-not-to-engage-in-political-manipulation-over-uyghur-muslims-558205">China urges Canada not to engage in 'political manipulation' over Uyghur Muslims</a>

Human Rights groups accuse China of severe abuses of the rights of Uyghur people, a Muslim ethnic minority with a population of about 10 million in West China's Xinjiang province. This includes the mass use of forced labour in internment camps.

<h2>Canada-US ties: Strained by concern for Uyghurs?</h2>

In 2021, Canada became one of the first countries to label China's treatment of the Uyghurs as 'genocide'. Canada was also among the countries that tried to hold a debate at the United Nations last year about alleged human rights abuses by China against Muslims in Xinjiang.&nbsp;Diplomatic relations between Canada and China have been strained&nbsp;over recent years.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

In a major setback to Chinese efforts to combat pro-Uyghur geopolitical postures, the Canadian parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favour of a proposal for the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim refugees from China's Xinjiang region into Canada over two years.

In a major setback to Chinese efforts to combat pro-Uyghur geopolitical postures, the Canadian parliament on Wednesday unanimously voted in favour of a proposal for the resettlement of 10,000 Uyghur Muslim refugees from China's Xinjiang region into Canada over two years. The House of Commons voted 322-0 in favour of Liberal member of parliament Sameer Zuberi's bill. Responding to a question about the proposal, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that Xinjiang's people live in peace and work happily, while human rights safeguards for all ethnicities in the region were continuously improving. ALSO WATCH | WION Fineprint | Trudeau concerned over Chinese interference in Canada × "We urge the Canadian side to respect facts and truth, stop using the Xinjiang question for ulterior motives and political manipulation, stop spreading false information and misleading the public," Mao said. What Canada's pro-Uyghur proposal is all about? The Canadian parliamentary proposal called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau-led government to recognise that Uyghurs and other ethnic Turkic Muslims who have fled to third countries face "pressure and intimidation" by China to return. The undivided 322-0 support is likely to put pressure on his minority government to take action. "Canada will always do its part in helping those in need of protection," Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement. "I am committed to working with members of all parties to advance the measures outlined in the motion adopted by the House of Commons today." ALSO READ | China urges Canada not to engage in 'political manipulation' over Uyghur Muslims Human Rights groups accuse China of severe abuses of the rights of Uyghur people, a Muslim ethnic minority with a population of about 10 million in West China's Xinjiang province. This includes the mass use of forced labour in internment camps. Canada-US ties: Strained by concern for Uyghurs? In 2021, Canada became one of the first countries to label China's treatment of the Uyghurs as 'genocide'. Canada was also among the countries that tried to hold a debate at the United Nations last year about alleged human rights abuses by China against Muslims in Xinjiang. Diplomatic relations between Canada and China have been strained over recent years. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

With 322-0 support, Canadian parliament votes for Uyghur resettlement in country

The release of a formal investigation into the widespread incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities by UN top human rights official Michelle Bachelet is expected next week.

As per CNN, the investigation has the potential to change how the international community and senior UN officials have handled the testimonies of survivors and their families by strengthening the need for accountability in a way the UN system has not previously done.

Watch |&nbsp;WION Fineprint | Chinese textbooks changed after 'ugly' cartoons spark outcry

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-chinese-textbooks-changed-after-ugly-cartoons-spark-outcry-509890/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

However, Bachelet has for some time been accused by human rights groups and academic experts of being soft on Beijing after her controversial visit to China in May.

Her critics said that she had the chance to draw attention to the horrifying human rights abuses committed by the Chinese government, but failed and that she refrained from denouncing the government's widespread mistreatment of the Uyghur ethnic group.

The report has been pending for a long time. Bachelet stated in September 2021 that her office was "finalising its assessment," and in December a representative stated that they anticipated publishing in the upcoming weeks. However, the report has stayed unpublished for months for mysterious reasons.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/minorities-drafted-into-forced-labour-possible-enslavement-in-chinas-xinjiang-un-expert-507846">Minorities drafted into forced labour, possible 'enslavement' in China's Xinjiang: UN expert</a>

China denies all claims that it has mistreated Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

However, a recent report by an independent UN expert alleged that the Chinese government is engaging in forced labour schemes in Xinjiang that may constitute crimes against humanity.

Tomoya Obokata, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, stated in the report that the conclusions were "based on an independent assessment of available information".

Also read&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/meetings-in-xinjiang-unsupervised-china-visit-not-an-investigation-un-rights-chief-482968">Meetings in Xinjiang 'unsupervised', China visit 'not an investigation': UN rights chief</a>

Chinese foreign ministry, however, reaffirmed Beijing's denial that forced labour ever occurred in Xinjiang, defended China's history of upholding workers' rights, and sharply criticised the report's findings.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a daily briefing in Beijing, "A certain special rapporteur chooses to believe in lies and disinformation about Xinjiang spread by the US&nbsp;and some other Western countries and anti-China forces."

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch WION LIVE HERE:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

The release of a formal investigation into the widespread incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities by UN top human rights official Michelle Bachelet is expected next week.

The release of a formal investigation into the widespread incarceration of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities by UN top human rights official Michelle Bachelet is expected next week. As per CNN, the investigation has the potential to change how the international community and senior UN officials have handled the testimonies of survivors and their families by strengthening the need for accountability in a way the UN system has not previously done. Watch | WION Fineprint | Chinese textbooks changed after 'ugly' cartoons spark outcry However, Bachelet has for some time been accused by human rights groups and academic experts of being soft on Beijing after her controversial visit to China in May. Her critics said that she had the chance to draw attention to the horrifying human rights abuses committed by the Chinese government, but failed and that she refrained from denouncing the government's widespread mistreatment of the Uyghur ethnic group. The report has been pending for a long time. Bachelet stated in September 2021 that her office was "finalising its assessment," and in December a representative stated that they anticipated publishing in the upcoming weeks. However, the report has stayed unpublished for months for mysterious reasons. Also read | Minorities drafted into forced labour, possible 'enslavement' in China's Xinjiang: UN expert China denies all claims that it has mistreated Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. However, a recent report by an independent UN expert alleged that the Chinese government is engaging in forced labour schemes in Xinjiang that may constitute crimes against humanity. Tomoya Obokata, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, stated in the report that the conclusions were "based on an independent assessment of available information". Also read | Meetings in Xinjiang 'unsupervised', China visit 'not an investigation': UN rights chief Chinese foreign ministry, however, reaffirmed Beijing's denial that forced labour ever occurred in Xinjiang, defended China's history of upholding workers' rights, and sharply criticised the report's findings. Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, said at a daily briefing in Beijing, "A certain special rapporteur chooses to believe in lies and disinformation about Xinjiang spread by the US and some other Western countries and anti-China forces." (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

UN report on Uyghur abuses to be released soon. Will it call out China?

The United States has slammed the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet for failing to stand up for Xinjiang's Uyghur community.

In what will be the first UN High Commissioner for Human Rights trip there since 2005, Bachelet is going to visit the controversial Chinese region from May 23 to 28 at the invitation of Beijing.

Criticising Bachelet for "silence" in the face of what it said were atrocities in China's western Xinjiang region, the US State Department said that Washington "no expectation that the PRC (People's Republic of China) will grant the necessary access required to conduct a complete, unmanipulated assessment of the human rights environment in Xinjiang."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-cornered-on-xinjiang-384851/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Ned Price, the spokesman of the US State Department, said "We're deeply concerned about the upcoming visit," and added that "Despite frequent assurances by Bachelet's office that the report would be released in short order, it remains unavailable to us."&nbsp;

"The High Commissioner's continued silence in the face of indisputable evidence of atrocities in Xinjiang and other human rights violations and abuses throughout the PRC - it is deeply concerning, particularly as she is and should be the leading ... voice on human rights," he said.

A similar statement was reiterated by the Human Rights Watch which raised fears that the Chinese Communist Party will "manipulate the visit as a public relations stunt."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/leaked-database-shows-thousands-of-uyghurs-held-in-detention-by-china-479843">Also read |&nbsp;Leaked database shows thousands of Uyghurs held in detention by China</a>

Sophie Richardson, the China director of Human Rights Watch, said that Bachelet's "friendly visit defies credibility that the Chinese government will allow the high commissioner to see anything they don't want her to see, or allow human rights defenders, victims and their families to speak to her safely, unsupervised and without fear of reprisal."&nbsp;

According to a statement issued by Bachelet's office, she will meet "a number of high-level officials at the national and local levels", and "also deliver a lecture to students at Guangzhou University."&nbsp;

In 2018, when Bachelet took office, she demanded "meaningful and unfettered" access to far-western Xinjiang saying at least one million mostly Muslim people have been incarcerated in "re-education camps" in a bid to forcibly integrate them into China's Han majority.

Calling them the "lie of the century", China has vociferously denied Western allegations of forced labor and genocide against Uyghurs.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Watch WION's live TV here:

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

The United States has slammed the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet for failing to stand up for Xinjiang's Uyghur community. In what will be the first UN High Commissioner for Human Rights trip there since 2005, Bachelet is going to visit the controversial Chinese region from May 23 to 28 at the invitation of Beijing.

The United States has slammed the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet for failing to stand up for Xinjiang's Uyghur community. In what will be the first UN High Commissioner for Human Rights trip there since 2005, Bachelet is going to visit the controversial Chinese region from May 23 to 28 at the invitation of Beijing. Criticising Bachelet for "silence" in the face of what it said were atrocities in China's western Xinjiang region, the US State Department said that Washington "no expectation that the PRC (People's Republic of China) will grant the necessary access required to conduct a complete, unmanipulated assessment of the human rights environment in Xinjiang." Ned Price, the spokesman of the US State Department, said "We're deeply concerned about the upcoming visit," and added that "Despite frequent assurances by Bachelet's office that the report would be released in short order, it remains unavailable to us." "The High Commissioner's continued silence in the face of indisputable evidence of atrocities in Xinjiang and other human rights violations and abuses throughout the PRC - it is deeply concerning, particularly as she is and should be the leading ... voice on human rights," he said. A similar statement was reiterated by the Human Rights Watch which raised fears that the Chinese Communist Party will "manipulate the visit as a public relations stunt." Also read | Leaked database shows thousands of Uyghurs held in detention by China Sophie Richardson, the China director of Human Rights Watch, said that Bachelet's "friendly visit defies credibility that the Chinese government will allow the high commissioner to see anything they don't want her to see, or allow human rights defenders, victims and their families to speak to her safely, unsupervised and without fear of reprisal." According to a statement issued by Bachelet's office, she will meet "a number of high-level officials at the national and local levels", and "also deliver a lecture to students at Guangzhou University." In 2018, when Bachelet took office, she demanded "meaningful and unfettered" access to far-western Xinjiang saying at least one million mostly Muslim people have been incarcerated in "re-education camps" in a bid to forcibly integrate them into China's Han majority. Calling them the "lie of the century", China has vociferously denied Western allegations of forced labor and genocide against Uyghurs. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

US slams UN rights chief for failing to stand up for Xinjiang's Uyghur community