China’s treatment of its Uyghur population “may amount to crimes against humanity”, the UN Human Rights Office has said.
He found evidence among the women of forced abortions and forced sterilizations, he added.
OHCHR said it decided to investigate after “serious allegations of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim communities” came to its attention in late 2017.
Last December, a court found that China guilty of genocide against the Uyghur people and other minorities in Xinjiang.
The UN said its report was “based on a rigorous review of documentary material currently available”.
He commented: “The extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of Uyghur members and other predominantly Muslim groups, in accordance with law and policy, in the context of more general restrictions and deprivation of fundamental rights enjoyed individually and collectively, may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”
In a long report, he mentions “violations of the family planning policy”.
The document states, “Several women interviewed by OHCHR raised allegations of forced birth control, in particular forced IUD placements and possible forced sterilizations with respect to ethnic Uyghur and Kazakh women.”
He adds: “Some women spoke of the risk of severe penalties, including ‘internment’ or ‘imprisonment’ for violating the family planning policy.
“Among these, OHCHR interviewed women who said they had been forced to have an abortion or have an IUD inserted, after reaching the number of children allowed by the family planning policy.
“These first-hand accounts, while limited in number, are considered credible.”
China said it “strongly opposes” the publication of the report and that the Chinese government has a “people-centered approach”.
He added, “China pursues an ethnic policy characterized by equality, unity, regional ethnic autonomy and common prosperity for all ethnic groups.
“All ethnic groups, including Uyghurs, are equal members of the Chinese nation.
“Xinjiang has taken measures to fight terrorism and extremism in accordance with law, effectively curbing frequent occurrences of terrorist activities.”
The UN said its assessment was based on China’s obligations under international human rights law.
He added that some treaties – in particular the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination – are treaties “to which China is a state party”.
