Australia joins censure in UN of Uighur abuse

Australia has joined with 22 other nations to condemn the mass ­detention and surveillance of ­Uighurs in China’s Xinjiang province.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Australia has joined with 22 other nations to condemn the mass ­detention and surveillance of ­Uighurs in China’s Xinjiang province, urging Beijing to end human rights abuses against its minority Muslim population.

A statement to the UN on Wednesday, endorsed by Australia, called on China to end its ­arbitrary detention of Uighurs and members of other Muslim communities. Presented by Britain’s permanent ambassador to the UN, Karen Pierce, it was also backed by the US, Japan, New Zealand and a host of European nations.

The signatories expressed concern at “credible reports of mass detention; efforts to restrict cultural and religious practices; mass surveillance disproportionately targeting ethnic Uighurs; and other human rights violations and abuses in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region”.

“We call on the Chinese government to uphold its national laws and international obli­gations and commitments to respect human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, in Xinjiang and across China,” it read. “Furthermore, we call on the Chinese government to allow the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Special Procedures immediate unfettered, meaningful access to Xinjiang.”

The move came less than 24 hours after Foreign Minister Marise Payne warned that Australia would not turn a blind eye to human rights violations in China. In a speech to the US Studies Centre, Senator Payne said Australia would call out bad behaviour by other countries when it saw it.

She said Australia was unhappy with China’s treatment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, where up to two million Muslims are held in “re-education” camps.

She said the government would also continue to advocate for detained Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who is being held by Beijing for alleged but un­explained spying offences.

“We must respect each other’s sovereignty but we will consistently continue to raise issues such as human rights, including with China,” Senator Payne said.

“We will do so not just because we believe individual rights should apply to all people but ­because we believe nations that uphold such principles domestically are more likely to co-operate in ways that promote the common good globally.”