MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Kazakhs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

2.10.2018 - (2018/2863(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure

Cristian Dan Preda, László Tőkés, Jaromír Štětina, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Thomas Mann, Agnieszka Kozłowska‑Rajewicz, Pavel Svoboda, Marijana Petir, Lefteris Christoforou, Csaba Sógor, Željana Zovko, Tomáš Zdechovský, Tunne Kelam, Patricija Šulin, Mairead McGuinness, Adam Szejnfeld, Giovanni La Via, Joachim Zeller, Michaela Šojdrová, Francis Zammit Dimech, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Dubravka Šuica, Sandra Kalniete, Deirdre Clune, Seán Kelly, Ramona Nicole Mănescu, Ivana Maletić, Romana Tomc, Inese Vaidere on behalf of the PPE Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B8-0460/2018

B8‑0468/2018

European Parliament resolution on mass arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Kazakhs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

(2018/2863(RSP))

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in China, in particular those of 26 November 2009 on China, minority rights and application of the death penalty of 10 March 2011 on the situation and cultural heritage in Kashgar (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), of 6 July 2017 on the cases of Nobel Laurate Liu Xiaobo and Lee Ming-che, of 15 December 2016 on the cases of the Larung Gar Tibetan Buddhist Academy and Ilham Tohti, the Report of 12 September 2018 on the State of EU-China relations,

 

-having regard to the EU-China Strategic Partnership launched in 2003 and to the European Commission and EEAS joint communication to the European Parliament and the Council entitled ‘Elements for a new EU strategy on China’ of 22 June 2016,

 

-having regard to the EU-China dialogue on human rights, launched in 1995 and the 35th round hold in Beijing on 9-10 July 2018,

 

-having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 16 December 1966,

-having regard to Rule 135 of the Rules of Procedure,

 

A.whereas the promotion of and respect for universal human rights, democracy and the rule of law should remain at the centre of the long-standing relationship between the EU and China, in accordance with the EU’s commitment to uphold these very same values in its external action and China’s expressed interest in adhering to them in its own development and international cooperation;

 

B.whereas since President Xi Jinping assumed power, the human rights situation in China has deteriorated further, with the government stepping up its hostility toward peaceful dissent, the freedoms of expression and religion, and the rule of law;

 

C.whereas the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination cited estimates that “from tens of thousands to upwards of a million Uighurs” may be detained in the Chinese Xinjiang province, without being charged or tried, under the pretext of countering terrorism and religious extremism and regretted that there is no official data on how many people are held in the extra-legal detention facilities;

 

D.whereas the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances expressed their deep concern about the trend of Uyghurs being subjected to enforced disappearances in a letter of General Allegation sent to the Chinese government in May 2018;

 

E.whereas the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) stated in June 2018 that “Uyghurs and other primarily Muslim ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) have been subjected to arbitrary detention, torture, egregious restrictions on religious practice and culture, and a digitized surveillance system so pervasive that every aspect of daily life is monitored”;

 

F.whereas there are recent reports of deaths in custody including suicides;

 

G.whereas the Uighur economics professor Ilham Tohti was sentenced to life imprisonment on 23 September 2014 on the charge of alleged separatism after being arrested in January of the same year; whereas seven of his former students were also detained and condemn to prison from between three to eight years for alleged collaboration with Mr Tohti; whereas Ilham Tohti has always rejected separatism and violence and sought reconciliation based on a respect for Uighur culture;

 

1. Is deeply concerned about the increasingly suppressive regime that different minorities, in particular Uyghurs and Kazakhs face, putting additional restrains on the constitutional guarantees of their right to freedom of cultural expression and religious belief, to freedom of speech and expression, peaceful assembly and association; demands that the authorities respect these fundamental freedoms;

 

2. Calls on the Chinese government to immediately end the practice of mass arbitrary detentions of members of the Uyghur and Kazakh minority, without any charge trial or conviction for criminal offence, to close all camps and detention centers and to release detained persons immediately and unconditionally; further urges the Chinese authorities to end the high-tech mass surveillance systems in place across Xinjiang, including the collection of biometrics, such as DNA samples, fingerprints, blood types and iris scans, the use of facial recognition-enabled cameras without the abilities to challenge the collection and use of this data;

 

3. Urges the Chinese authorities to reinstate the constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of religious belief for all Chinese citizens;

 

4. Calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Ilham Tohti as well as his supporters detained in relation to his case; calls on the Chinese authorities to ensure that they have regular and unrestricted access to their families and lawyers of their choice; further calls for the re-establishment of Ilham Tohti’s teaching permission and the guarantee of his free movement within and outside China;

 

5. Recalls the importance for the EU and it’s Member States to raise the issue of human rights violations in Xinjiang at every political level with the Chinese authorities, in line with the EU’s commitment to project a strong, clear and unified voice in its approach to the country, including the yearly Human Rights Dialogue, the upcoming Euro-Asia Summit as well as during China’s periodic review at the UN Human Rights Council;

 

6. Calls on EU Member States to prevent any activities of Chinese authorities on EU territory to harass members of Turks communities in order to compel them to act as informants, to force their return to China or silence them;

 

7. Calls on the Chinese authorities to allow free, unhindered access for journalists and international observers to Xinjiang province;

 

8. Proposes to consider targeted measures against XUAR Communist Party Secretary and Politbureau Member Chen Quanguo and other XUAR officials complicit in human rights abuses;

 

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the Government and the Parliament of the Peoples’ Republic of China.