{"id":4425,"date":"2018-11-07T18:29:26","date_gmt":"2018-11-07T18:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iuhrdf.org\/en\/2018\/11\/07\/ahead-visit-australia-urges-china-halt-uighur-mass-detentions\/"},"modified":"2018-11-07T18:29:26","modified_gmt":"2018-11-07T18:29:26","slug":"ahead-visit-australia-urges-china-halt-uighur-mass-detentions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iuhrdf.org\/en\/ahead-visit-australia-urges-china-halt-uighur-mass-detentions\/","title":{"rendered":"Ahead of visit, Australia urges China to halt Uighur mass detentions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Shanghai:<\/span> Australia has urged China to end the arbitrary detention of Uighurs and other Muslim ethnic groups in its vast western province of Xinjiang, at a United Nations review of China\u2019s human rights practices.<\/span><\/p>\n

The focus on China\u2019s new policy to systemically detain hundreds of thousands of Uighur\u2019s for re-education came on the eve of foreign affairs minister Marise Payne\u2019s first visit to Beijing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Police stand guard in a Uighur <\/span>neighbourhood<\/span> in the Xinjiang region. CREDIT:<\/span>PHOTO: NEW YORK TIMES<\/cite><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Australia was among 13 countries to raise the treatment of Uighurs<\/a> during China\u2019s third Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council.<\/span><\/p>\n

Speeches were limited to 45 seconds, but in its full written statement, Australia was more scathing, noting “significant regression” in China’s civil and political rights since the last review five years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n

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The Australian statement said arbitrary detention of Uighurs in Xinjiang was “more likely to exacerbate than prevent religious extremism” and called for their immediate release.<\/span><\/p>\n

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A re-education camp, officially known as vocational education and training <\/span>centre<\/span>, on the outskirts of Turpan City, Xinjiang.CREDIT<\/span><\/cite><\/span>:<\/span><\/span>FAIRFAX<\/span><\/cite> MEDIA<\/cite><\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Australian diplomats are not permitted to travel to Xinjiang, and Australia, which is a member of the UN Human Rights Council, urged China to allow the United Nations and foreign officials access to Xinjiang.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fairfax Media <\/span>travelled<\/span> independently to Xinjiang last month, obtaining rare photographs of some of the massive new re-education <\/a><\/span>centres<\/span><\/a> for Uighurs<\/a>, before being detained by Chinese police.<\/span><\/p>\n

Xinjiang residents in Turpan told Fairfax Media that 40 <\/span>per cent<\/span> of the town was being held inside large white buildings surrounded <\/span>with<\/span> razor wire and surveillance cameras, across seven sites in Turpan.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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No inmates had left the <\/span>centres<\/span> since they were built two years ago, although Turpan inmates were allowed one phone call a week and a visit from family every 15 days.<\/span><\/p>\n

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