The United Nations High Commissioner (OHCHR) has released a detailed report following its assessment of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, stating that “grave human rights abuses have been committed”. The region, which accounts for around a fifth of the world’s cotton production, has been the subject of an increasing number of reports in recent years claiming that around 1.6 million Uyghur Muslims are being held in detention camps and being forced into forced labour.
A number of Western fashion companies, particularly those that source their cotton locally, responded last year by voicing concerns about the allegations, with some denouncing the country’s alleged methods and others cutting ties with their Xinjiang-based suppliers altogether. As a result, China imposed sanctions, called for a boycott of the retail companies concerned or banned brands and stores that had made negative comments from the country. H&M, Nike, Burberry, Adidas and Converse, among others, had to live with more or less severe consequences.
Now, in its new report, the UN has set out its official assessment of the allegations against China, which the organization says is based on “extensive documentation” and in-depth interviews with 40 people who know the situation directly or firsthand. The publication itself covers various areas related to the topic in depth, including China’s legal and policy framework for fighting terrorism and ‘extremism’, for which the UN says the laws and regulations are vague and ill-defined.
Evidence suggesting arbitrary detention and forced labor
The assessment also found that it was “reasonable” to “conclude that there was a pattern of large-scale arbitrary detention at VETCS facilities at least in 2017-2019.” [Anm. d. Red.: Vocational education and training centres, zu deutsch etwa ‚Berufsbildungszentren‘] came.” According to the UN, the “accommodations” could be seen as a “deprivation of liberty” against those housed there.
Regarding labor, the UN noted that China’s anti-poverty programs “enacted a number of important labor law reforms that should strengthen protections against forced labour”. However, she also added that “the government closely links its anti-poverty programs to preventing and countering religious ‘extremism’,” which may support reports of forced labor among Uyghur and other Muslim minorities and, according to the United Nations, “cause of concern.” the extent to which such programs can be entirely voluntary.”
The report recommended further steps for China and the international community, including clarifying the whereabouts of alleged missing persons, reviewing the counter-terrorism framework and investigating allegations of human rights abuses in the VETCs.
In its conclusion, the report states: “While the information available does not currently allow OHCHR to draw firm conclusions about the exact extent of such violations, it is clear that the highly secured and discriminatory nature of the VETCs in connection with the limited access to effective remedies or scrutiny by public authorities provides fertile ground for such large-scale violations.”
This article was previously published on FashionUnited.uk. Translation and editing: Barbara Russ