Canada, allies to China: Open Xinjiang to ‘independent observers’

Amid allegations of abuse of Uighurs, more than 40 countries urge China to allow the UN access to Xinjiang.

More than 40 countries urged China on Tuesday to allow the United Nations human rights chief immediate access to Xinjiang to look into reports that more than a million people have been unlawfully detained there, some subjected to torture or forced labour. The joint statement on China was read out by Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton on behalf of countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and the United States to the UN Human Rights Council. Beijing denies all allegations of abuse of Uighurs and describes the camps as vocational training facilities to combat “religious extremism”.