The European Parliament has called for targeted sanctions to be imposed against Chinese officials over the treatment of the Uighur minority, in a fresh attack against Beijing.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) said tools used so far by the EU have not led to tangible progress in China’s human rights record, which they said had worsened in the past year, in a resolution adopted on Thursday.
“MEPs call on the Council to adopt targeted sanctions and freeze assets, if deemed appropriate and effective, against the Chinese officials responsible for severe repression of basic rights in Xinjiang,” the European Parliament said in a statement.
“[MEPs] urge the Chinese government to immediately end the practice of arbitrary detentions without any charge, trial or conviction for criminal offence and to immediately and unconditionally release all detained persons,” it added.
China has faced growing international condemnation for rounding up an estimated 1 million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in a network of internment camps.
Beijing initially denied the existence of the camps, but now says they are “vocational training centers” necessary to combat terrorism.
Last month, the New York Times obtained 403 documents on Beijing’s crackdown on mostly Muslim ethnic minorities in the region.
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