China denounces ‘Uyghur court’ as a violation of international law

KARACHI:

Senior officials in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have strongly condemned and rejected the so-called “Uyghur court” that tries to hold a hearing on “genocide” allegations in the region.

Xinjiang spokesman Xu Guixiang said the court has no legal basis or effect in accordance with relevant international law and criminal justice practices.

“Any so-called verdict or court decision is nothing more than a piece of waste paper,” he told a news conference in Beijing.

The “Uyghur Court”, set up by the US and Western anti-China forces in collaboration with the Uyghur World Congress and other East Turkestan organizations, is a pseudo-court set up to attack and defame Xinjiang and interfere in the internal affairs of China, the spokesman said.

Xu added that it is simply absurd to see an illegal court holding a hearing on the “lie of the century”.

“This is a serious violation of international law, a grave desecration of the real victims of genocide and a serious provocation to the 25 million people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang,” he said.

The court, Xu stressed, lacks the legal basis and force of international law in accordance with the relevant conventions of international law and international criminal law.

“Any trial or court decision is invalid. All the so-called ‘Uygur Tribunal’ has done is to presume guilt and then falsify the evidence. “What they really care about is finding ways to slander and divide Xinjiang regardless of the truth or the people in Xinjiang.”

He said the so-called “witnesses” are no more than those actors who have appeared many times before. “We have exposed and criticized the ‘actors’ many times,” he added.

‘No state, organization has the right to arbitrarily declare another state guilty of genocide’

Chinese officials said that genocide cases are tried primarily by the competent courts of the country where it took place or by an international criminal court whose jurisdiction the country has recognized, under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention). Some national courts have also tried cases of genocide within their borders.

“In addition, no state, organization or individual has the right to arbitrarily find another state guilty of genocide,” said Elijan Anayat, a Xinjiang government spokesman.

Authorities said the court was being funded by the Uyghur World Congress, which Beijing classifies as a terrorist-linked anti-China separatist organization.

“The court was set up to tarnish Xinjiang and interfere in China’s internal affairs,” Elijan said.

While organizers reportedly expected a considerable number of appearances from “Uyghurs interned abroad,” Chinese officials said potential witnesses involved in court are actors and liars.

Elijan said the court still remains illegal from the point of view of non-governmental organizations. “Under the laws of England, the establishment and functioning of the respective courts are under the jurisdiction of the Charity Act 2011, which defined” the promotion of human rights, the resolution of conflicts or the attainment of reconciliation or the improvement of religious or racial harmony or equality and diversity “as one of the benefits of charity,” he added.

He said the “Uygur Tribunal” declares to investigate the “ongoing cruelty and possible genocide” that the Chinese government forces on the Uyghur people, which appears to be in line with the charitable goals of the 2011 Charity Act (Charity Act 2011) and the Tribunal appear to be legal organizations. However, he added, the veracity of its purpose is debatable and the court lacks the constitution and the Board of Trustees with which a legal organization should have been provided.

“So the ‘Uygur Tribunal’ can not meet the registration requirements set out in the Charity Act 2011 (Charity Act 2011) as a charity, nor does it receive any financial support from the government, which a charity should have received in accordance with the law “.

Elijan concluded that the court is by no means an organization recognized by UK law. “It is nothing but a manipulated non-governmental organization running for profit,” he maintained.

‘Some Uyghur fugitives are suspected criminals’

Yalkun Yakup, deputy director of the Xinjiang Department of Public Safety, gave evidence that some so-called open Uygur fugitives are in fact suspected criminals, including Sayragul Sauytbay, who was awarded the “Women of Courage” prize by Mike Pompeo , former US Secretary of State.

“She first lied about teaching in a vocational education and training center. With the help of anti-China forces, she later became a so-called ‘education and training center victim’, claiming she had been detained in a ‘camp’. concentration “and underwent torture, medical experiments and was forced to eat pork. In fact, she has never studied or worked there,” Yalkun said.

Yalkun mentioned that Dolkun Isa, the leader of the “Uyghur World Congress”, had also recently become a so-called “concentration camp victim”.

“But he is not a victim, he is a terrorist as appointed by the Chinese government,” Yalkun said, adding that “he has been spreading rumors about Xinjiang in the international community for a long time and his tricks have been repeatedly revealed. “.

Chinese officials also accused the court of “free tricks” spreading Xinjiang and interfering in China’s internal affairs.

Asked about the steps China has taken to fight terrorism in the region, Xu said terrorism and extremism have brought great disaster to people in many parts of the world, adding that it is a common theme and a global problem for all humanity to fight terrorism and eliminate the harm of extremism.

“Xinjiang has made an active exploration in these aspects. I think this exploration has a deep meaning and can be summarized. Of course, we also welcome other countries facing the same problems to learn something. I have been to some “I have also done some exchanges on counter-terrorism and de-extremism issues and we have learned some experiences and practices in other countries.”

He said many people are affected by extremism and even engage in violent and terrorist activities. “For these people, if we follow some Western ideas, we can just put them in jail. But we believe these people are also victims, so we take educational transformation measures to save them,” Xu added.

‘All religious activities fully guaranteed in Xinjiang’

Asked about the ban on religious scholars, Elijan said that with the guidance of Chinese laws and regulations, Xinjiang has been managing religious affairs, protecting freedom of religion and ensuring the regular conduct of regular religious activities in accordance with with the principles of “protection legality, prohibition of lawlessness, curbing extremism, resistance to infiltration and crackdown on crime”.

“Xinjiang has expedited local legislation, publication and review of regulations of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on Religious Affairs, Temporary Rules for the Administration of Places in Religious Activities, Temporary Provisions for the Administration of Religious Activities and Temporary Provisions for the Administration of Religious Affairs. which have clarified the rights and obligations of religious groups, places of religious activity and religious personnel “.

Elijan said all routine religious activities are fully guaranteed in Xinjiang. “According to traditional doctrines, religious rules and customs, Muslims of all ethnic groups can perform religious activities in mosques and in their homes in full accordance with their personal wishes,” he added.

He told that the Xinjiang Islamic Committee for the Religious Affairs has translated the Holy Qur’an and Al-Bukhari into Chinese, Uighur, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz for publication, which expands the ways for religious people to acquire religious knowledge.

He said there are 10 Islamic Institutes in Xinjiang, namely the College of the Xinjiang Islamic Institute and its eight branches, and the Xinjiang Islamic School of Sutras. “These schools recruit university students, junior college students and technical high school students upon request, which enables the conversion to Islam.”

Elijan said more than 1,000 religious people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are now serving as representatives and members of People’s Congresses and Political Consultative Conferences at all levels, fulfilling their rights to participate in the administration and discussion of state affairs and the exercise of democratic oversight.

(With additional input from Xinhua)