Turkey condemns China’s treatment of Uygurs in ‘concentration camps’
- Nearly one million Uygurs and other Turkic language-speaking minorities in China have reportedly been held in re-education camps
- China says it protects the religion and culture of its ethnic minorities and that security measures in Xinjiang are needed to counter groups that incite violence there
Turkey called China’s treatment of its Muslim ethnic Uygur people “a great embarrassment for humanity”, prompting a lengthy rebuke from the Chinese embassy in Ankara.
In a statement Saturday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said it’s “no longer a secret” that China has arbitrarily detained more than a million Uygurs in “concentration camps”.
He said the Turkic Muslim population faced pressure and “systematic assimilation” in western China.
Aksoy said Turkey has shared with China its position on “all levels” and urged authorities to close the detention facilities and respect human rights.
Turkey’s response follows the death of Uygur poet and musician Abdurehim Heyit in custody.
The minister said Turkey had learned of the death in prison of the famed Uygur musician, who had been sentenced to eight years over one of his songs.
